The Hindu : Kerala News : Sabarimala temple to close today

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Friday, Sep 21, 2007
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Kerala

Sabarimala temple to close today

Staff Reporter

PATHANAMTHITTA: The Lord Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala will be closed after athazha puja on Friday evening after the five-day monthly rituals in the Malayalam month of Kanni.

A kalabhabhishekom will be performed in the temple prior to utcha puja on Friday. Tantri Kandararu Maheswararu, assisted by Melshanti E. Eeswaran Namboodiri, will perform kalabha puja at the Namaskara Mandapam in the forenoon.

A golden urn carrying the kalabhom (sandal paste) will be taken to the sanctum sanctorum in a customary procession to the accompaniments of the sacred Marappani and other temple orchestra.

The sandal paste will be poured on the Ayyappa idol, marking the culmination of the ritual. The sandal paste will be distributed among devotees as prasadom later.

A sahasra-kalasabhishekom (pouring of 1,001 urns of holy water, including the Brahmakalasom in a golden urn, on the Ayyappa idol) was performed in the temple on Wednesday.

Padi puja, udayasthamana puja and pushpabhishekom were the other important rituals performed on Thursday.

The temple will open on October 17 evening for the five-day monthly rituals in the Malayalam month of Thulam beginning October 18.

Draw of lots

The selection of the new Melshantis of the Ayyappa temple and the Malikappuram Devi temple, through draw of lots, will be held at the sopanams of the respective temples on October 18.

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