Sabarimala (Kerala), Sep 2 (UNI) The world-famous Lord Ayyappa temple will open tomorrow for the annual Onam festival rituals.
The sanctum sanctorum will be opened at 5 pm by Melsanthi Arun Kumar Namboothiri in the presence of Tantri Kandararu Mahesh Mohanaru, who will perform the ceremonial lighting of the lamp. Devotees will be allowed darshan from 5 am on September 4, coinciding with the auspicious Uthradam day.
As part of the Onam celebrations, special feasts (Onasadya) will be served at Sannidhanam on Uthradam, Thiruvonam and Avittam days. The Uthradam feast will be hosted by the Melsanthi, the Thiruvonam offering will be arranged by Devaswom employees, and the Avittam feast will be sponsored by the police personnel on duty at the temple.
The Travancore Devaswom Board has made elaborate arrangements for rituals, crowd management and pilgrim welfare during the festival period.
The temple will remain open until 10 pm on September 7 (Chathayam day), after which the sanctum sanctorum will be closed until the next scheduled opening.
