Aarattu ceremony to be held at Sabarimala today; Painkuni Uthram festival to conclude

SABARIMALA: The Aarattu of Lord Ayyappa will be performed in Pampa today, marking the conclusion of the Painkuni Uthram festival at Sabarimala. Thantri Kantararu Rajeevaru, his son Kanthararu Brahmadatthan, Melshanthi S. Arun Kumar Namboothiri, and Malikappuram Melshanthi T. Vasudevan Namboothiri will lead the ceremonies. After the morning puja and Aarattu Bali at 9 am, the deity will proceed to Pampa for the Aarattu ritual.

When the procession reaches Pampa Ganapathi temple, the Sabarimala Melshanthi will take the Thidambu to the Aarattu Kadavu for the ritual bathing. Once the Aarattu is completed, the deity will be brought back to Pampa Ganapathi temple, where devotees can give offerings until 3 pm. After this, the deity will return to the Sannidhanam with a grand procession. The evening rituals will include the Kodiyirakku ceremony, Aarattu Kalasham, Ucha Pooja, Deeparadhana, and Athazha Pooja, concluding the event by 10 pm.

Last night, following the Aathazha Pooja and Sree bhootabali, pallivetta took place at Saramkuthi. The deity was returned to the Sannidhanam after being having undergone ‘palli urakkam’ at a specially prepared area at Thidapally.