Kochi: The Sabarimala temple is all spruced up for mandala pooja, the ritual being performed after adorning the ‘Thanka Anki’ on the idol of Lord Ayyappa.
The procession carrying the sacred golden attire and ornaments would proceed from the Aranmula Temple at 7 am on Thursday. After four days’ journey, the procession will reach Pampa at 3 pm on December 25. It will be accorded a rousing reception by the Travancore Devaswom Board officials at Saramkutty at 5 pm. The Lord Ayyappa deity will be adorned with the attire around 6.30 pm.
The mandalapooja will be held between 11.30 am and 12.45 noon on Monday (December 26) and the temple will be closed at 10 pm on the day. It will again be reopened only on December 30 evening for the ‘Makaravilakku’ season.
After leaving the Aranmula temple, the anki procession will be given traditional reception at major temples before the first day’s halt at Omallur Sree Rakthakandaswami temple. On the second and third day evening, the procession will halt ay Konni Muringamangalam Sree Mahadeva temple and Ranni Perunad Sree Dharma Sastha temple.
Meanwhile, Tantri Kandaru Rajeevaru said the installation of the new holy mast, replacing the old one, will be held at the temple on June 25, 2017. “Currently the teak wood for the same is being immersed in oil,” he said.
