The Mandala puja, marking the culmination of 41-day annual Mandalam pilgrimage season, was performed at the Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala on Tuesday.
A large number of pilgrims from different parts of the country thronged the Sabarimala Sannidhanam to witness the ritual and to have the darshan of the presiding deity on this special occasion.
The Ayyappa temple was opened at 3 a.m. on Tuesday and the rituals began with the chief priest (Tantri), Kandararu Maheswararu Mohanararu, performing the Ashtadravya Maha Ganapati homam followed by the Ashtabhishekom.
Neyyabhishekom, the ritualistic pouring of ghee over the Ayyappa idol, came to a close by 9.30 a.m. in view of the Mandala puja.
The Fire and Rescue Force personnel thoroughly washed the temple premises and the preparations for the Mandala puja began at 11 a.m. The Tantri, assisted by the head priest (Melsanthi), A.V. Unnikrishnan Namboodiri, performed the Brahamakalasa puja and Kalabha puja at the Namaskara Mandapam.
The golden urns carrying the Brahmakalasom and the Kalabhom (sandal paste) were taken out in a ceremonial procession to the sanctum sanctorum for the abhishekom prior to the Mandala puja.
The presiding deity was adorned with the Thanka Anki prior to the Mandala puja.
The Tantri performed the Mandala puja in the muhurtham between 11.04 a.m. and 11.40 a.m. amid loud chants of ‘Swamiyei Saranam Ayyappa’.
Kadakampally Surendran, Devaswom Minister, A. Padmakumar, Travancore Devaswom Board president, K.P. Sankaradas, K. Raghavan, board members; S. Sirijagan, Chairman of the High Power Committee for implementation of the Sabarimala Master Plan, M. Manoj, Special Commissioner appointed by the Kerala High Court, C.P. Ramaraja Prema Prasad, Devaswom Commissioner; K.R. Jyothilal, Principal Secretary to Devaswom; R. Girija, District Collector and V. Sankaran Potti, Chief Engineer, were among those who attended the ceremony.
The Ayyappa Temple was closed after the Athazha puja on Tuesday evening. The temple will remain closed for the next three days to reopen for the Makaravilakku festival at 5 p.m. on December 30.
