Thousands of Ayyappa devotees thronged Pandalam town on Monday afternoon to witness the annual ceremonial procession carrying Thiruvabharanam, the sacred jewellery of Lord Ayyappa, from the Pandalam Valiyakoickal Sastha temple to Sabarimala for the Makaravilakku festival.
The Thiruvabharanam was shifted from the strong room of the Srambickal Palace to the adjoining Valiyakoickal Sastha temple at 4.30 a.m. and devotees were allowed to have its darshan till noon. The sacred jewellery were put in three wooden boxes to be carried on head by a 25-member team of devotees led by Guruswami Kulathinal Gangadharan Pillai all the way to Sabarimala. The temple head priest performed special rituals and Neeranjanam aarati by12.50 p.m. and a kite, which the devotees believe is the Sree Krishnaparunthu, was soon found hovering in the sky. The entire atmosphere was charged with devotion and ‘Ayyappa Sarana’ mantras rent the air.
P. Ramavarma Raja of the Pandalam Palace handed over the ceremonial sword to the royal representative, R. Pradeepkumar Varma, who is escorting the sacred jewellery. A large posse of Kerala Armed Police personnel and devaswom guards are escorting the procession.
N. Vasu, Travancore Devaswom Board president; N. Vijayakumar and K.N. Hari, board members, P.B. Noohu, District Collector; and G. Jayadev, District Police Chief; were present.
Reminiscent of the royal days of the past, the palace representative was taken on a palanquin up to the Kaippuzha Palace on the opposite bank of the Achencoil river to seek the blessings of the eldest female member of the royal family there, before proceeding to Sabarimala.
Receptions
Devotees accorded rousing receptions to the procession at different places before it reached the Puthiyakavu Devi temple at Ayroor in the afternoon. The procession will resume the journey on Tuesday morning and will halt at the Laha Sathram, near Plappally, in the night.
The procession will reach Valiyanavattom near Pampa on Wednesday afternoon.
The TDB authorities and Ayyappa Seva Sanghom volunteers will accord a reception to the Thiruvabharanam at Sabarimala Sannidhanam.
Tantri Kandararu Maheswararu Mohanarau, assisted by Melsanthi A.K. Sudheer Namboodiri, will adorn the presiding deity with the sacred jewellery prior to the deeparadhana to be held between 6.25 p.m. and 6.45 p.m. on the day.
