The Makara-sankramapuja at Lord Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala will be held at 12.59 am on January 15, according to M.Sathishkumar, Devaswom Executive Officer at Sabarimala.
It is believed that the idol installation at the Ayyappa shrine by the legendary Lord Parasurama was held in the auspicious period of Makara-sankramom, centuries ago.
Devotees consider the Neyyabhishekom, pouring of the ghee brought in ripe coconuts over the Ayyappa idol, performed during the Makara-sankramom as the most auspicious one.
The ghee used for the Makara-sankramapuja at Sabarimala will be brought from the Kowdiar Palace in Thiruvananthapuram and the ghee offered to the deity will be distributed among the devotees as prasadom, later.
Mr Satishkumar said the Ayyappa Temple would be opened only at 4 pm on January 15. The deity will be adorned with the sacred golden attire Thiruvabharanam prior to the deeparadhana to be held, later, at 6.30 pm.
New police team takes charge
The new batch of police force have assumed charge at Sabarimala on Monday.
The new batch of police force comprise of 2,050 civil police officers, 25 DySPs, 48 Circle Inspectors and 180 Sub Inspectors. Mr K.K. Chellappan is the Police Special Officer.
7 pick-pockets arrested
The Sannidhanam police have arrested seven pick-pockets from Marakkoottom and Charalmedu at Sabarimala on Monday.
All the arrested persons reportedly hailing from Theni district of Tamil Nadu and they have been identified as Ramraj, 35; Pazhaniyappan, 39; Arasan, 53; Pandyan, 30; Muthu, 38; Muthurajan, 30 and Mani, 55. All of them would be produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate’s Court in Ranni, police said.