The ‘satabhishekom' of senior Sabarimala tantri (chief priest) Kandararu Maheswararu was celebrated on his 84th birthday at Thazhamon Madhom at Mundankavu near Chengannur on Friday.
The ceremony began with the Ashtadravya Maha Ganapati homom in the morning followed by Rigveda chanting by 17 Brahmin boys from the Kanchi Kamakoti Yajurveda Padhasala at Irinjalakkuda.
A.T. Narayanan Namboodiri led the ritual. Kandararu Mahesh Mohanaru, the tantri's grandson, performed the Maha Ganapati homom. The tantri and his wife Devakidevi Antharjanam were seated in front of the Ayyappa shrine at the Brahmin household for the Kalasaabhishekom later. Mullappally Krishnan Namboodiri from the Tantric Vidya Peedhom, Aluva, assisted by Kandararu Mohanaru, son of Maheswararu, performed the abhishekom.
Kandararu Rajeevaru, the incumbent chief priest at Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple, and tantric scholars supervised the ceremony. Mritasanjeevani homom, Mrityunjaya homom and Aayussookta homom were the other rituals performed in connection with the Satabhishekom ceremony.
Hundreds of people, including devotees from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, attended the ceremony. Devotees had been camping at Chengannur to attend the ceremony from Thursday.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Devaswom Minister V.S. Sivakumar, and Kodikkunnil Suresh, MP, were among those who called on Maheswararu wishing him birthday greetings on Friday.
