Pathanamthitta: The revered Sabarimala Temple is all set to open its doors today to mark the beginning of the auspicious Niraputhari festival. Melshanthi Nada, the head priest, will commence the ceremonial proceedings by opening the temple doors at 5 p.m., followed by the lighting of the ceremonial lamp. The Niraputhari rituals are scheduled to take place between 5.45 a.m. and 6.15 a.m. tomorrow.
At the core of the Niraputhari festival lays a series of sacred ceremonies that hold deep significance for devotees. As part of these rituals, rice grains are collected from the 18th step of the temple and transported to the Manimandapam, where the Ganapathi Homam is conducted. The revered tantri, Kandararu Rajeevaru, will perform the worship of the rice grains, after which they will be taken into the temple, with the tantri circumambulation the temple premises.
A special pooja will be carried out before the presiding deity, Lord Ayyappa, with the offering of the worshipped rice grains. This revered rice will then be tied in front of the temple as a symbol of devotion. The consecrated rice grains will later be distributed among devotees as Prasad.
Following the completion of these sacred rituals, the temple will be closed at 10 p.m., marking the conclusion of the day’s ceremonies. However, this is only the beginning of the festival season at Sabarimala.
The temple will reopen its doors on the 16th of this month to host the Chingamasa pujas. The pujas are set to continue until the 21st of the month, after which the temple complex will be temporarily closed to the public. Devotees have the opportunity to book and participate in darshan through the Virtual Queue system, ensuring a smooth and organised flow of pilgrims.
For those who prefer a more spontaneous visit, a spot booking system will be in place at Nilakkal and Pampa, the key entry points to Sabarimala. This flexible arrangement provides pilgrims with the chance to embark on a spiritual journey to the sacred abode of Lord Ayyappa.
Discussion about this post