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Thanka Anki procession starts on Saturday

Staff Reporter

Long queues for darshan at Sabarimala

PATHANAMTHITTA: The annual Thanka Anki procession will set off for Sabarimala from Aranmula on Saturday.

The Ayyppa idol will be adorned with the golden attire prior to Mandalapuja on December 27. The attire, weighing 420 sovereigns, was offered to Lord Ayyappa by Sree Chithira Tirunal Maharaja of the erstwhile Travancore kingdom in 1973.

Authorities of the Travancore Devaswom Board say that the attire will be taken out of its strong room at Sree Parthasarathy Temple in Aranmula on Saturday morning and kept for darshan at the temple till 6.30 a.m. It will be taken to Pampa in a decorated, motorised chariot.

The Board has prepared the itinerary of the procession. The entourage will reach Omalloor, via Nedumprayar, Kozhencherry, Karamvely, Elanthoor, Elavumthitta, Mezhuveli and Rakanam, on Saturday evening. It will proceed to Muringamangalam Temple in Konni on Sunday, via Pathanamthitta and Kumbazha.

After the night halt at the temple, the procession will proceed to the Sastha Temple at Perinad the next morning. It will halt there on Monday.

The procession will reach Pampa on Tuesday noon after receptions at Laha and Nilackal. The attire will be taken to Sannidhanam from Pampa by the Ayyappa Seva Sanghom. The Board authorities will receive it at Saramkuthi on the trekking path. The idol will be decorated with the attire prior to Deeparadhana at the temple later in the afternoon.

Rush continues

Heavy inflow of pilgrims to the hill shrine continued on Tuesday. The queue for darshan extended up to Marakkoottom on the trekking path in the morning hours.

Kalabhabhishekom was performed at the temple prior to Utchapuja.

Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru, assisted by Melsanthi E. Eswaran Namboodiri, performed Kalabhapuja and the Brahmakalasom (golden urn carrying sandal paste) was taken out in procession to the sanctum sanctorum for the Kalabhabhishekom.

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