Pandalam, situated on the banks of the river Achenkovil, is buzzing with ‘Swamiyei, Saranam Ayyappa’ chants by Ayyappa devotees coming from different parts of the country.
A good number of Ayyappa devotees make it a point to worship the Thiruvabharanam, sacred jewellery of the presiding deity at the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple, kept at the Srambickal palace adjoining the Valiyakoickal Sastha temple at Pandalam during the annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season.
Ceremonial procession
It has been a custom since the past several decades to take the sacred jewellery in a unique ceremonial procession from Pandalam to Sabarimala for the annual Makaravilakku festival. This year’s Makaravilakku day falls on Wednesday and the Sabarimala-bound procession carrying the Thiruvabharanam will set off from Pandalam on Monday.
The Thiruvabharanam will be taken out of the palace strongroom on Monday morning and will be handed over to the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) authorities by 4 a.m. The ornaments will be kept at the temple for the devotees to have darshan till 12 noon.
The procession carrying the Thiruvabharanam in three wooden boxes will set off from the temple premises at 1 p.m.
Uthram-naal R. Pradeepkumar Varma of Pandalam Lakshmi Vilasom Palace will be the royal representative escorting the procession carrying the Thiruvabharanam this year.
Entourage
The entourage will halt at the Ayroor Puthiyakavu Devi temple, near Ranni, on Monday evening and at Laha Sathram on the Mannarakulanji-Chalakkayam main trunk road leading to Sabarimala on Tuesday evening.
The procession will reach Valiyanavattom near Pampa on Wednesday afternoon.
TDB authorities will receive the Thiruvabharanam at the Sabarimala Sannidhanam by 6 p.m.
