Sabarimala,12 Jan (H.S.): Elaborate arrangements have been put in place at the Sabarimala hill shrine ahead of the annual Makara Vilakku festival, with the ceremonial Thiruvabharanam (sacred ornaments) procession scheduled to begin on Monday afternoon.

The procession, carrying the ornaments to be adorned on the idol of Lord Ayyappa, will start at 1 pm from the historic Valiya Koyikkal Dharmasastha Temple at Pandalam.

The sacred procession will be led by the royal representative of Pandalam, Punartham Nal Narayana Varma, in keeping with centuries-old traditions associated with the shrine. A total of 26 members will be part of the Thiruvabharanam entourage. The three-day journey will culminate at Sabarimala, where the ornaments will be ceremonially adorned on the deity.

Makara Jyothi and Makara Sankranti poojas are scheduled to be held on January 14. On the day the Thiruvabharanam reaches Sabarimala, the traditional Deeparadhana will take place around 6.30 pm after the ornaments are adorned on the idol.

Subsequent rituals have also been scheduled. The Kottaram Vaka Kalabhabhishekam will be held on January 18, followed by the Guruthi ritual on January 19 in the presence of the royal representative. Devotees will be allowed darshan at Sabarimala only until the night of January 19. The temple will be closed at 6 am on January 20, after which the royal representative will begin the return journey with the Thiruvabharanam.

During the return phase, devotees will be allowed to have Thiruvabharanam darshan at the Perunadu Ayyappa Temple on January 21 from 1.30 pm to 2 am. On January 22, darshan will be held at the Aranmula Palace. The procession is expected to reach Pandalam on January 23 at 8 am, where it will receive a grand reception. The ornaments will then be moved directly to the palace strong room, and no public darshan will be permitted there.

Meanwhile, strict crowd control measures have been enforced at Sabarimala in view of the Makara Vilakku festivities. From 12 noon onwards, stringent restrictions will be in place at the Sannidhanam for cleaning and to receive the procession. The number of pilgrims above the 18 holy steps, including the flyover area, will be capped at 5,000.

On January 13 and 14, only 1,000 pilgrims will be allowed through the Erumeli forest path, while 1,500 pilgrims will be permitted via the Saramkuthi–Pulmedu route. Entry through the Appachimedu–Bailey Bridge forest route has been completely banned. Authorities have also directed that the number of pilgrims at Pulmedu for viewing the Makara Jyothi should not exceed 5,000, while only authorised personnel will be allowed at Ponnambalamedu. Parking restrictions may also be imposed at Pampa Hilltop to facilitate the smooth return of pilgrims.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman