The auspicious Kalabhabhishekom marking the culmination of the Neyyabhishekom ritual was performed amid the Utchapuja at the Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala on Wednesday.
Tantri Kandararu Rajeevararu, assisted by Melsanthi T.M. Unnikrishnan Namboodiri, prepared the Kalabhakalasom for Kalabhabishekom.
The Kalabhapuja was performed at the eastern mandapam in the forenoon.
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The Kalabhakalasom, carrying the kalabhom (sandal paste) in a golden urn, was taken out in a ceremonial procession to the sanctum sanctorum prior to the Utchapuja.
The Tantri performed Kalabhabhishekom by pouring out the sandal paste over the Ayyappa idol. The sandal paste offered to the presiding deity was distributed as prasadom among the devotees.
Ashtabhishekom, Udayasthamanapuja, Pushpabhishekom, and Padipuja were the other important rituals performed at the temple.
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Sasikumar Varma, the representative of Pandalam Palace, supervised the Kalabhabhishekom performed at the Sannidhanam.
Rush continues
There was heavy rush of devotees, especially from Tamil Nadu after the Pongal festival, at Sabarimala on Wednesday.
The annual pilgrim season will come to a close with the Melsanthi closing the sanctorum after the Athazhapuja on Thursday evening.
The Guruti ritual will be held at Malikappuram Devi Temple after the closing of all the temples at Sabarimala on Thursday evening.
The Melsanthi will open the Ayyappa temple at 6 a.m. on Friday to facilitate the customary darshan exclusively for the royal representative before he returns to Pandalam Palace, escorting the Thiruvabharanam.
The sanctum will be closed by 7 a.m. and the royal representative will descend the holy 18 steps to escort the Thiruvabharanam procession back to Pandalam Palace.