The sacred grove of Sabarimala situated in the Periyar Tiger Reserve once again started reverberating with `Swamiyei Saranam Ayyappa’ chants as scores of devotees from different parts of the country began to trek the holy hills on their annual pilgrimage to the forest shrine dedicated to Lord Ayyappa on Saturday.
The temple was opened in an atmosphere charged with devotion on Saturday afternoon for the two-month-long Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrim season that begins on the first day in the Malayalam month of Vrischikom on Sunday.
Outgoing head priest (Melsanthi) V.N. Narayanan Namboodiri opened the sanctum sanctorum in the presence of chief priest (Tantri) Kandararu Maheswararu Mohanararu at 5 p.m.
The Melsanthi lit the ghee lamp inside the sanctum sanctorum and transferred the sacred fire to the Aazhi (large fire place) at the Lower Tirumuttom for the devotees to burn the broken pieces of ghee-filled coconuts there as part of the pilgrimage.
Heavy rush
The holy hillock witnessed heavy rush and the queue for darshan was found extended even up to Saramkuthi in the evening.
The Tantri performed the installation of A.K. Sudheer Namboodiri as the new Sabarimala Melsanthi at a function held at the sopanam of the temple.
However, the installation of the newly appointed Malikappuram Melsanthi M.S. Parameswaran Namboodiri was not held as he could not enter the temple due to defilement following the death of a kin. His installation would be held only on November 23, according to TDB sources.
Till then, Narayanan Namboodiri, an assistant of the Tantri, would perform the rituals, sources said.
N. Vasu, Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president; N. Vijayakumar and K.S. Ravi, board members; and M. Manoj, Special Commissiopner appointed by the Kerala High Court; were present.
The new Melsanthi will assume charge on Sunday morning. The temple rituals will begin with the Tantri performing the auspicious Ashtadravya Maha Ganapati Homom on Sunday morning followed by Ashtabhishekom and Neyyabhishekom.
