The Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala was closed after the Athazhapuja on Tuesday, marking the culmination of the five-day monthly rituals in the Malayalam month of Edavom.
The holy hillock witnessed heavy rush on Tuesday too as a large number of devotees from different parts of South India trekked to the forest shrine, braving heavy downpour.
A Sahasrakalasabhishekom and Kalabhabhishekom were performed at the temple prior to the Utchapuja. Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru, assisted by Melsanthi E.N. Krishnadas Namboodiri, performed the Sahasrakalasapuja and Brahmakalasapuja at the Northern Mandapam of the temple in the morning.
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Padipuja, Udayasthamanapuja, Ashtabhishekom and Pushpabhishekom were the other important rituals performed at the temple on Tuesday.
The temple will open on June 15 for monthly rituals in the Malayalam month of Midhunom that begins the next day.