Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple continued to witness heavy rush on Saturday as well.
The police and the Devaswom guards on special duty at the hillock had a tough time controlling the flow of pilgrims to the temple sopanam for darshan in the forenoon.
Special rituals
A Laksharchana was performed at the Namaskara Mandapam in the forenoon. Sahasrakalasabhishekom and Kalabhabhishekom were performed at the temple prior to Utchapuja.
Tantri (chief priest) Kandararu Mahesh Mohanararu, assisted by Melsanthi (head priest) E.N. Krishnadas Namboodiri, performed the Kalasapuja and Kalabhapuja in the forenoon.
The Brahmakalasom and the Kalabhom (sandal paste) were taken out in a ceremonial procession to the sanctum sanctorum, with the accompaniments of the sacred Marappani and other traditional temple percussion, by noon.
The Tantri poured the holy water (Kalasom) and the sandal paste over the Ayyappa idol.
The sandal paste was distributed as prasadom to the devotees, later.
Ashtabhishekom, Udayasthamanapuja, Pushpabhishekom and Padipuja were the other important rituals performed on Saturday.
The Ayyappa temple will be closed after Athazhapuja on Monday evening, marking the culmination of the monthly rituals in the Malayalam month of Kanni.
