SABARIMALA: Heavy flow of devotees was witnessed at Lord Ayyappa temple here braving heavy rain and slippery trekking path on the first day of the Malayalam month of Idavam on Sunday. Incessant heavy rain since Saturday night at Nilakkal, Pampa and trekking path made it difficult for devotees to have darshan. A long queue was witnessed at Valiyanadapandal, Lower Thirumuttom, Holy Steps and flyover when the temple was opened at 5am.
The unprecedented crowd at Nilakkal pilgrim transit camp on Saturday afternoon forced the authorities to allow devotees to proceed to Sannidhanam. The authorities allowed pilgrim vehicles up to Pampa on Saturday evening as there was inadequate number of KSRTC buses from Nilakkal to Pampa. Traffic between Nilakkal and Pampa was affected for one and a half hours due to a landslip near Attathode colony early this morning.
Kalabhabhishekam was the special ritual performed at the temple on Sunday afternoon. As part of the ritual, thantri Mahesh Mohanaru performed brahmakalasa pooja at the mandapam of the temple at 6.30am in the presence of melsanthi Parameswaran Nampoothiri.
The ritual concluded with kalabhabhishekam on the idol of Lord Ayyappa during uchcha pooja after the procession carrying the brahmakalasam led by the thantri circumambulated the sreekovil. Udayasthamana pooja, ashtabhishekam, padi pooja and pushpabhishekam too were held. The temple will be closed on May 19 after athazha pooja and harivarasanam at 10pm.