Kochi: The Pandalam Valiya Koyikkal Sastha temple will remain closed and there will be no ‘Thiruvabharanam Darshnam’ till December five due to demise of Thiruvonam naal Amba Thampuratty (94) of Pandalam Royal Family. The Valiya Koyikkal temple of Dharma Sastha is the family temple of the Pandalam royal family set in around 3 acres of land. The procession towards Sabarimala carrying the sacred attire ‘Thiruvabharanam’ would set off from the temple on January 12.
Meanwhile, the Travancore Devaswom Board cautioned the inter-state pilgrims against the rumours of the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple being closed till December five. “The Mandalam pilgrimage season is on and the hill shrine closes only on December 26 night and reopened on December 30 evening for the Makaravilakku season. It’s the Pandalam Dharma Sastha temple which is closed till December five and will be opened only after Sudhikalasam on December six,” it said in a statement.
