Pathanamthitta (Kerala): The yearly Mandalakala pilgrimage at Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple concluded culminating with the Mandala Pooja on Saturday.
The deity was adorned with Thanka Anki (Sacred Golden attire) on Friday and the Mandala pooja was held at a Meenam Raashi Muhoortham between 11.40 am and 12.20 pm, led by the Tantri (Vedic head) Kandraru Rajeevaru. Melshanthi (Head priest) assisted in the Pooja. A special Kalabhabhishekam and 25 Kalasham were also done. The Mandala Kalam pilgrimage came to a closure with the singing of Harivarasanam and closing of the Temple Nada at 9 at night.
The Ayyappa pilgrims trekked down from the hill shrine after the darshan of the Ayyappa deity adorned in Thanka Anki, exuding an inexplicable aura on the day of Mandala pooja.
It was Sree Chitra Thirunal from Thiruvithamkoor Royal Family who dedicated the Thanka Anki weighing 450 sovereigns of gold to adorn the Ayyappa Deity during Mandala pooja, back in 1973.
The procession carrying Thanka Anki started from Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple on December 22, in a prayer-filled atmosphere and reached Sabarimala Sannidhanam on Friday at 6.22. On Friday, at 6.30, there was a Maha Deeparadhana after adorning the deity with the Thanka Anki.
The Temple Nada will reopen on December 30 at 5 in the evening for the Makaravilakku festival. Makaravialkku festival is to be conducted from 31 December 2020 through 19 January 2021. Pilgrims will be allowed entry from December 31 in compliance with the COVID guidelines. Makaravilakku falls on January 14.
