The Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala witnessed heavy rush on Saturday as the influx of pilgrims to the hillock from different parts of south India continued even after the Makaravilakku celebrations on January 14.
Pilgrims had to wait for seven to eight hours on the Marakkoottom-Sannidhanam path for the holy darshan on Saturday.
Malaysian minister
The Minister for Environment in Malaysia, G. Palanivel, undertook his annual pilgrimage to the temple on Saturday.
Ernakulam Collector M.G. Rajamanikyam and Additional Director General of Police Loknath Behra also offered prayers on Saturday
Meanwhile, the royal representative of the Pandalam palace, Kerala Varma Raja, was accorded a customary reception on his arrival at the Sannidhanam on Friday.
Melsanthi E.N. Krishnadas Namboodiri received him with customary rituals. Mr. Raja had handed over the golden sword that he carried from the Pandalam palace to the Melsanthi for placing it beside the Ayyappa idol before proceeding to Malikappuram, where he will stay till Tuesday.
After a long gap, the ritualistic Padipuja resumed at the Sannidhanam on Friday evening. The Tantri, Kandararu Rajeevararu, assisted by the Melsanthi, performed the ritual after the Pushpabhishekom on Saturday.
The customary Kalabhabhishekom will be performed with the ghee brought from the Pandalam palace prior to the Utchapuja on Sunday, marking the culmination of the Neyyabhishekom ritual during the Makaravilakku festival.
The ritualistic Guruti to propitiate the cohorts (Bhoothagana) of the presiding deity will be performed at Malikappuram after the Athazhapuja on Monday.
The Ayyappa temple will be opened for a few minutes on Tuesday morning exclusively for the royal representative to offer prayers.
The temple will be closed by 6.45 a.m., marking the culmination this year’s Makaravilakku festival. The sacred jewellery, Thiruvabharanam, will be taken back to the Pandalam palace in a procession. The procession will reach Pandalam on January 24.
