Sabarimala (Kerala), Dec 27 (UNI) The 41-day-long Mandala pilgrimage season at the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala will formally conclude on Saturday with the Mandala Pooja and a series of traditional concluding rituals
The Mandala Pooja will be held today between 10.10 am and 11.30 am during the auspicious muhurtham under the leadership of Tantri Kandaru Mahesh Mohanar, in the presence of temple priests and officials of the Travancore Devaswom Board.
The Mandala Mahotsavam will conclude later in the night with the chanting of the sacred Harivarasanam. Following the traditional ritual, the sanctum sanctorum will be closed at 10.00 pm, marking the formal conclusion of the Mandala season.
A major highlight of the Mandala festivities was the ceremonial procession and adornment of Lord Ayyappa with the Thanga Anki (golden attire). The sacred Thanga Anki, presented to Lord Ayyappa by the Travancore Maharaja, was taken in a traditional procession that commenced at 7 am on December 23 from the historic Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple.
The procession passed through several temples and towns en route and reached Pamba on Friday, where it was received with traditional honours by officials of the Travancore Devaswom Board and senior police officers. The Thanga Anki was later ceremonially escorted to the Sabarimala Sannidhanam.
The sacred golden attire was placed in a special casket and carried up the holy Pathinettampadi (18 sacred steps) by nine Guruswamis, accompanied by temple dignitaries and priests.
After reaching the sanctum sanctorum on Friday evening, the Thanga Anki was adorned on the deity, followed by a special Deeparadhana, which drew thousands of devotees and created a spiritually charged atmosphere at the hill shrine.
Devotees were allowed to have special Darshan while the deity remained adorned with the Thanga Anki. During the Mandala Pooja today, the idol of Lord Ayyappa will once again be adorned with the golden attire as part of the concluding rituals of the Mandala season.
Temple authorities said the Mandala pilgrimage season witnessed a heavy turnout of devotees, with reports indicating that over 33 lakh pilgrims visited the shrine during the 41-day period, reflecting the sustained faith and disciplined observance associated with the annual pilgrimage.
Following the conclusion of the Mandala season, the Sabarimala temple will reopen at 5.00 pm on December 30 for the annual Makaravilakku festival, which marks the second and most significant phase of the pilgrimage season.
An important highlight of the Makaravilakku celebrations will be the ceremonial adornment of Lord Ayyappa with the Thiruvabharanam brought from the Pandalam Valiyakoickal Palace.
The sacred attire will be taken in a traditional procession and adorned on the deity on January 14, marking the commencement of the major rituals associated with the Makaravilakku festival.
The Makaravilakku Mahotsavam will culminate with the appearance of the Makara Jyothi and the Makaravilakku darshan, attracting lakhs of pilgrims from across the country.
The Travancore Devaswom Board, in coordination with the state government, has completed elaborate arrangements for the smooth conduct of the pilgrimage, including crowd management, security, sanitation, medical facilities, and regulated darshan systems.
Devotees have been advised to strictly adhere to temple customs and the guidelines issued by the authorities to ensure a safe, orderly, and spiritually fulfilling pilgrimage experience.
