Sabarimala temple closed after rituals

The Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala was closed after the five-day rituals in the Malayalam month of Edavom on Monday.

Kandararu Mahesh Mohanararu, son of Tantri Kandararu Mohanararu, performed the special rituals on Monday as his grandfather, senior Tantri Kandararu Maheswararu, 88, was indisposed.

The temple was closed with the Melsanthi singing the sacred lullaby, Harivarasanam, after the Athazhapuja, marking the culmination of the monthly rituals.

The temple will reopen on June 14 afternoon for the five-day monthly rituals in the Malayalam month of Midhunom which begins the next day.