SABARIMALA: The Thiruvabharanams to be adorned on the Ayyappa idol in the evening of the first day of the Malayalam month of Makaram will be taken to Sabarimala in a procession from the Koyikka temple of Pandalam at 1 pm today. Pandalam Palace representative Thriketta Nal Rajaraja Varma will accompany the procession in a palanquin.

The ceremonies will begin this morning when the Thiruvabharanam casket-carrying team will bring the Thiruvabharanam, which is kept in the safe room of the Pandalam Srampickal Palace, to the Pandalam Valiya Koyikkal Sree Dharma Sastha Temple, as a procession. Following this, there will be the facility to see the caskets that will be opened in front of the temple and pray. After completing the ritualistic ceremonies at the temple and handing over the ceremonial sword (Udaval) to the King's representative in the afternoon, the group led by Guruswami Kulathinalil Gangadharan Pillai will start the journey in a procession carrying the ornaments on their heads. The main casket containing Thirumugam is carried on the head by Guruswami, the Kalashapetti containing silver ornaments by Maruthamana Shivanpillai and the Kodipetti containing the flag and Jeevitha by Kizhakke Thottathil B. Pratapachandran Nair.

The procession will reach Sabarimala on the third day on the 14th after crossing the traditional thiruvabharanam pathai and Kananapatha. The Devaswom Board officials and the police will ceremoniously receive the procession at Saramkuthy at 5.30 pm and take it to Sannidhanam. From below Thirumuttam, only the Thiruvabharana casket will be taken to Sannidhanam through the Pathinettampadi. The other two caskets will be taken to Malikappuram. At 6.30 p.m., after the opening of the Sabarimala Nada following the Deeparadhana adoring the Thiruvabharanam, devotees can see Makara Jyoti at Ponnambalamedu and Makara Nakshatra in the sky.

Purification rituals to begin today

Shudhikriyas (Purification rituals) ahead of the Makara Sankrama Pujas will begin at Sannidhanam today. Prasada Shuddhi Kriyas will be held at 5 pm. Bimba Shuddhi Kriyas tomorrow after Usha Pooja. Makara Sankrama pooja and Neyyabhishekam will be held on the 14th which is the Makaravilakku day at 8.55 am. Abhishekam is done on Sankrama Muhurta with specially prepared ghee delivered by a messenger from Kowdiar Palace in Thiruvananthapuram.