The Hindu : Hundreds witness Mandala pooja

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Dec 28, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

Hundreds witness Mandala pooja

By Our Staff Reporter

PATHANAMTHITTA De. 27. The 41-day annual Mandalam pilgrim season at the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple came to a close with the closure of the shrine after the Athazha pooja amidst chanting of the sacred lullaby `Harivarasanam' this evening.

Hundreds of devotees had thronged the holy hillock to witness the Mandala pooja at 1-30 p.m. today.

Mrithyunjaya pooja was held at the Sannidhanam at 10-30 a.m. and the Thantri, Kantaru Mohanaru, assisted by the Melsanthi, Perikamana Sanakranarayanan Nampoothiri, performed the Kalabha pooja at the Eastern Mandapam of the Ayyappa Temple at 12-15 p.m.

The Thantri and the Melsanthi accompanied by various other priests and the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) authorities took out the urns containing the sandal paste for the Kalabha Abhishekom in a procession around the sanctum sanctorum of the temple later in an atmosphere charged with devotion.

The Kalabha Abhishekom was performed at 1-15 p.m. prior to the auspicious Mandala pooja at 1-30 p.m. amidst loud chants of sarana mantras.

The Devaswom Minister, G. Karthikeyan, the Travancore Devaswom Board president, N. Babu, the Special Commissioner appointed by the Kerala High Court, D. Sreevallabhan, the Devaswom Commissioner, S.Ayyappan Nair, the police coordinator, Shekharan Miniyodan, and the Devaswom PRO, Mohan Perinad, were among those who attended the Mandala pooja.

The temple will be opened on January 1 afternoon for the Makaravilakku festival that begins the next day. The Makaravilakku day falls on January 14 and the temple will be closed after the pilgrim season on January 20 evening.

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