PATHANAMTHITTA: Ayyappa devotees can now have their own songs played at Sabarimala, following a new initiative by the Travancore Devswom Board, inviting original devotional songs to broadcast at the hill shrine. Newly composed and melodiously rendered songs by devotees will be considered for inclusion in the list of devotional songs broadcast through the public address system at Sabarimala.
At present, the shrine largely features devotional songs rendered by renowned singers such as K J Yesudas and the Jaya-Vijaya team. The temple traditionally opens its sanctum sanctorum early in the morning to Yesudas’s rendition of Vande Vighneswaram, while the closing at night is marked by his iconic Harivarasanam.
The Devaswom Board has now decided to expand this repertoire by including new devotional compositions by devotees themselves. Songs that are freshly written, set to music and sung with devotional fervour will be shortlisted after scrutiny.