Kerala: The Lord Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala is gearing up for one of the most significant events of the pilgrimage season, the Mandala Pooja, which will take place on December 26, 2024. This important ritual marks the culmination of the first phase of the annual pilgrimage and is a key highlight for devotees who have been observing strict spiritual austerity for 41 days.

The Mandala Pooja will be performed by the temple tantri (chief priest), Kandararu Rajeevaru, between 12:00 pm and 12:30 pm on December 26. The ritual is set to conclude the first phase of the pilgrimage, which sees a significant influx of devotees.

The “thanka anki” procession, a sacred ceremonial event, began at the Aranmula Parthasarathi Temple in Pathanamthitta on Sunday and is expected to reach Pamba by Wednesday afternoon.

Afterward, the attire known as the “thanka anki” will be draped on the idol of Lord Ayyappa in the temple. This will be followed by the “aarathi”.

Once the Mandala Pooja and the “neyyabhishekam” (ghee offering) rituals are completed, the doors of the temple will be closed by 11:00 pm, signaling the end of the first leg of the pilgrimage season. The temple will remain closed until its reopening on December 30 for the Makaravilakku festival.

Special Arrangements for Crowd Management

As expected, the Mandala Pooja will attract a large number of devotees, and to manage the crowds effectively, the virtual queue for darshan has been capped at 50,000 for December 25 and 60,000 for December 26. The High Court has issued guidelines to ensure that spot bookings are limited to 5,000 on both days.

The total number of pilgrims visiting the temple during the current season has already surpassed 30.87 lakh, a significant increase compared to the previous year, with over 4.46 lakh more devotees having visited by December 23.

Makaravilakku Festival and Other Announcements

The Sabarimala temple will be reopened on December 30 for the Makaravilakku festival, which will be held on January 14, 2024.