
SABARIMALA: The Sabarimala temple and surrounding areas are flooded with thousands of devotees for the auspicious Makaravilakku ceremony and Makarajyothi darshan on Tuesday. The devotees are camping at Malikppuram, Pandithavalam, Sabaripeedom and Saramkuthy.
As part of the preparation for the ceremony, the Thiruvabharanam procession will be accorded a traditional reception on arrival at Saramkuthy by devaswom authorities at 5.30 pm on Tuesday and led to Sannidhanam where Travancore Devaswom Board president and members will receive it.
Thantri Kandararu Brahmadathan will receive the Thiruvabharanam in front of the sreekovil, and deeparadhana will be performed after adorning the golden attire on the idol of Lord Ayyappa at 6.40pm.
Meanwhile, Pampasadya and Pampavilakku, the two important events of the annual pilgrimage season, were held at Pampa-Valiyanavattam on Monday.
Pampasadya, the feast as part of the pilgrimage, was prepared by devotees upon arrival at Valiyanavattam near Pampa on the terminal point of the traditional Erumely-Karimala forest route after Pettathullal at Erumely temple. For Pampavilakku, the devotees lit traditional lamps fitted on small floating crafts made of bamboo sticks and in the Pampa river in the evening.
Makarasamkrama pooja today
SABARIMALA: Makarasamkrama pooja, the most auspicious time of the Sun moving to ‘Utharayanam’ from ‘Dakshinayanam’, will be performed at Lord Ayyappa temple at 8.45am on Tuesday. In the presence of Melsanthi Arunkumar Nampoothiri, thantri Kandararu Brahmadathan will perform ‘abhishekam’ on the idol of Lord Ayyappa with the ghee brought in ‘neyythenga’ by the members of the Travancore royal family. After ‘abhishekam’, the thantri will distribute the ghee as prasadam to devotees gathered in front of the sreekovil.
Karnataka minister Satish’s supporters want him as CM, pray at Sabarimala temple
BELAGAVI: Some supporters of Karnataka PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi have sought divine blessings of Lord Ayyappa in Sabarimala, Kerala, to see their leader become the next chief minister of Karnataka. The group, led by Santosh Sankapale of Gokak, held up posters of Satish in front of the Sabarimala temple and offered prayers on Monday. On the occasion of Sankranti, a large number of Ayyappa devotees offer prayers at the temple, wearing the traditional bead chains around their necks.