Kottayam: Tens of thousands of pilgrims watched the sighting of the Makarajyothi at Ponnambalamettu, a hill facing the Sannidhanam, and attended the Makaravilakku deeparadhana at Sabarimala on Sunday.
The devotees stood at 30 vantage points at Sabarimala and Pampa for viewing Makarajyothi. Many stood on roof tops of various buildings as well as the hillside facilities. Many thronged Pullumedu, Panchalimedu, Parunthumpara and other places.
The procession carrying the Thiruvabharanam (the golden attire to be draped on the idol of Lord Ayyappa) reached the holy hillock around 6 p.m. Earlier, the procession was given a grand reception at Saramkuthy. The procession carrying the Thiruvabharanam started from Pandalam on Friday.
The box containing the Thiruvabharanam was received at Sannidhanam by dewaswom minister Kadakampally Surendran, Kodikunnil Suresh, MP, TDB president A. Padmakumar and Pathanamthitta district collector R. Girija, among others.
Thousands of the pilgrims, who were waiting in the precincts of Sannidhanam, started praying before the sanctum sanctorum of the temple was opened for deeparadhana.
The Makaravilakku Deeparadhana was performed at the top of the Ponnambalamedu hill by 6.42pm and the bright flame (Makarajyothi) appeared above the Ponnbalamedu.
There was a heavy rush of pilgrims descending the hill immediately after Deeparadhana.
The police provided heavy security in view of the Makaravilakku festival at Sabarimala and Pampa. Around 3,000 police officials were manning the security at Sabarimala. Police had also erected barricades at various spots with a view to control the crowds. The Makaravilakku festival, which began on Sunday with the Makatasamkrama pooja, will end on January 20.
