Devotees throng Sabarimala to witness Makarajyoti

Makaravilakku Deeparadhana performed atop Ponnambalamedu

Devotees worshipping the ‘Makaravilakku’ sighted atop Ponnambalamedu from the Ayyappa Temple premises at Sabarimala Sannidhanam on Wednesday evening.– Photo: Leju Kamal

The Makaravilakku festival was celebrated at Sabarimala on Wednesday.

Devotees thronged the hillock to worship the ‘Makarajyoti,’ a bright celestial star that appears on the eastern horizon of Sannidhanam, and for the ‘Makaravilakku Deeparadhana’ performed atop the remote hill of Ponnambalamedu facing Sabarimala in the evening.

Though the sky was cloudy, Makarajyoti was sighted on the eastern horizon

The ceremonial procession carrying the Thiruvabharanam, the presiding deity’s sacred jewellery, from the Pandalam Palace reached the hillock by 6.45 pm.

Guruswami Kulathinal Gangadharan Pillai, who headed a 22-member team carrying the Thiruvabharanam, handed over the jewellery box to the Tantri and the Melsanthi. The deity was adorned with the Thiruvabharanam and the Deeparadhana was performed by 6.50 p.m. Devotion reached a feverish pitch when the Deeparadhana was performed atop the Ponnambalamedu and the bright flame of Makaravilakku was sighted thrice. The Makara-sankramapuja was performed at the Ayyappa temple. The Tantri, assisted by the Melsanthi, performed the ritual. The ghee brought from Kowdiar Palace and Pattom Palace in Thiruvananthapuram in two coconuts was poured over the Ayyappa idol as part of the ritual. Devaswom sources said Sabarimala had never witnessed such a mammoth crowd in the past 10 years.