The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) is planning to conduct the 10-day annual festival of the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple along with the rituals in the Malayalam month of Midhunom that begins on June 15.
TDB president N. Vasu told The Hindu on Wednesday that the board consulted the Tantri (chief priest) about conducting the temple festival that had been deferred in the wake of the lockdown. The annual festival was scheduled to begin on March 29.
The temple custodian (TDB) and the Tantri had got the freedom to defer or cancel a temple festival or ritual if the situation warranted so, he said.
Kodiyettu on June 19
Tantri Kandararu Maheswararu Mohanararu said he suggested that the TDB conduct the 10-day festival as continuation of the next monthly rituals.
The five-day monthly rituals in Midhunom would be performed from June 15 to 19.
The Tantri said the ceremonial flag-hoisting would be held on June 19 forenoon.
The Utsavabali riteswill be held on all days from June 20 to 27. The Pallivetta will be performed at Saramkuthi on the trekking path on June 27 evening.
The Arat ceremony will be held in the Pampa on June 28 forenoon.
Mr. Vasu expressed hope that the government would be able to permit regulated entry for devotees to Sabarimala by mid-June.
