Lord Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala continued to witness heavy rush as a large number of devotees from different parts of south India undertook pilgrimage to the forest shrine on Tuesday too. Tantri Kandararu Rajeevararu, assisted by Melsanthi T.M. Unnikrishnan Namboodiri, performed kalasa puja and kalabha puja prior to the Sahasrakalasabhishekom and Kalabhabhishekom amid utcha puja on Tuesday.
Procession
Two golden urns carrying kalasom (holy water) and kalabhom (sandal paste) were taken out in a procession to the sanctum sanctorum, with the accompaniment of the sacred Marappani and traditional temple percussion.
The sandal paste offered to the presiding deity was distributed as prasadom among devotees.
Rituals
Padi puja, udayasthamana puja, ashtabhishekom and pushpabhishekom were the other important rituals performed at the Ayyappa shrine on Tuesday.
The Ayyappa temple will be closed after athazha puja on May 19 evening, marking the culmination of the five-day monthly rituals in the Malayalam month of Edavom.
