Kerala - Pathanamthitta   

Sabarimala festival from March 23

Staff Reporter

GEARING UP FOR THE ANNUAL EVENT: The Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala.

PATHANAMTHITTA: The 10-day annual festival at the Lord Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala will be held from March 23 to April 1. Devaswom Executive Officer at Sabarimala Thulaseedharan Thampi said the temple would be opened at 5.30 p.m. on March 22 for the annual festival that begins on March 23.

Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru assisted by Melsanthi Eeswaran Namboodiri will perform the rituals in connection with the Kodiyettu ceremony on March 22 and 23. The Tantri will hoist the ceremonial flag on the golden mast in front of the temple between 9.40 a.m. and 10.30 a.m. on March 23. Mr. Thampi said the Utsavabali ritual would be performed at the Ayyappa temple after Utchapuja on all days from March 24 to 31.

The ritualistic Pallivetta will be held at Saramkuthi on the traditional trekking path on March 31 evening.

The Arattu ceremony, marking the culmination of the festival, will be held at the Arattu kadavu on April 1. The Painguni Uthram believed to be the birthday of Lord Ayyappa falls on April 1.

Mr. Thampi said the Ayyappa shrine would be opened on March 14 afternoon for the five-day monthly puja in the Malayama month of Meenom that begins on March 15. Laksharchana, Udayasthamanapuja, Padipuja, Pushpabhishekom, Sahasrakalasom and Kalabhabhishekom rituals will be performed at the temple during the puja.

The Vishu festival will be held at the temple from April 11 to 18. The temple will be opened at 5.30 p.m. on April 10 and the rituals will begin with the Ashtadravya Ganapati homam the next day morning. Vishu will be celebrated on April 14 and the temple will be closed on April 18 evening, Mr. Thampi said.

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