Melshanthi, N. Damodaran Potti, will open the sanctum sanctorum at 5.30 p.m. and there would not be any rituals on Tuesday. However, devotees may offer prayers at the temple till it closes at 10 p.m.

The rituals will begin with the chief priest (Tantri), Kandararu Rajeevararu, performing an Ashtadravya Maha Ganapathi homom on Wednesday morning, the first day in the month of Edavom.

Devaswom Executive Officer K. Sankaranarayana Pillai told The Hindu that Sahasrakalasabhishekom and Kalabhabhishekom would be performed prior to the Utchapuja at the Ayyappa temple on all the five days.

Ashtabhishekom, Padipuja, Udayasthamanapuja, and Pushpabhishekom will be the other important rituals to be held at the temple on all the five days.

The Ayyappa temple will be closed in the evening on May 19. Mr. Pillai said the temple would be reopened in the afternoon on May 20 for the anniversary celebrations of idol installation to be held on May 21.

The rituals in connection with the anniversary will be held on May 21 and the temple will be closed after the Athazhapuja in the evening.

Courtesy: the Hindu

Fruits, including mango and plantain, will be kept in front of the idol of Lord Ayyappa on the previous day evening, Thantri Rajivaru said. After the Vishukani darsan, Thantri Rajivaru will offer “vishukaineettom” to the devotees in front of the sreekovil.

Devaswom Minister V S Sivakumar, Travancore Devaswom Board president M P Govindan Nair, member Subhash Vasu and special commissioner K Babu will be present on the auspicious occasion.

As part of the Vishu festival, special rituals, including sahasrakalasam, kalabhabhishekam and laksharchana, will be held at the temple. As part of laksharchana, Thantri Rajivaru will conduct Brahmakalasa pooja at the Mandapam at 6.30 am.

The head priest (Melsanthi), N. Damodaran Potti, opened the sanctum sanctorum to facilitate the customary worship exclusively for the royal designate at 6.30 am. No other person was permitted to offer prayers at the Ayyappa shrine on Sunday.

As it being the custom, the Melsanthi had closed the sanctum sanctorum and handed over the keys to the royal representative who, in turn, had given a purse as dakshina to the priest.

The Raja had descended the holy 18-steps and returned the keys to the Melsanthi, in the presence of the Devaswom Executive Officer and Administrative Officer at the Lower Tirumuttom, later.

Courtesy : The Hindu

As a primary  step the help has already been given to the devotees at Chenganoor Railway Station from the beginning of this pilgrim year.

Next year this would be extended to Pampa and Sannidhanam on whole year basis.

He also said that he would insert pressure in the central ministry for the development of Sabarimala.  The modern hospital to be built here has been helped by the centre ministry by providing Rs 15 crore through NRHM.

Minister was present during the Makaravilakku festival in the evening on Monday.

During this time, the ‘Jyothy’ flickered at the ‘medu’ for three times which was received by the Sarana chants by the devotees.

The Thiruvabharana procession was received earlier in the evening by Cabinet Minister Kodikkunnil Suresh, Devaswom Minister V S Sivakumar, Devaswom President M P Govindan Nair, Member

Subash Vasu, Gov. Chief Coordinator K Jayakumar, Devaswom Principal Secretary K R Jyothilal, Special Commissioner K Babu, Devaswom Commissioner N Vasu, Pathanamthitta
Collector V N Jithendran and many others.

Temple will be  kept open till January 20th 7 am. However darsan will be possible only till 19th January 2012.  Neyyabhishekham will continue till 18th of January.

Makaravilakku will be held on 14th of January.

Few pilgrims were injured in the rush; however a major stampede tragedy was averted with the effective intervention of the well-trained crowd management forces attached to the Central Reserve Police Force.

The rush of pilgrims who reached the Sannidhanam from the northern side of the Lower Tirumuttom crossing the Bailey Bridge had turned the situation out of gear.

With hardly 36 hours left for the Mandalapuja, the sacred grove of Sabarimala has been witnessing an unprecedented rush, forcing the police to block the flow of pilgrims periodically to the holy hillock from Pampa periodically from Sunday night.

The throng of pilgrims turned so heavy that the space between the U-Turn on the Saramkuthi path and the Valiyanadappanthal has been witnessing a near-stampede from Monday afternoon.

Rapid Action Force (RAF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been controlling the crowd along this highly risky and difficult stretch to avert any untoward situation.

The vehicular traffic on the main trunk road leading to Pampa too has gone up and the police had to block the Pampa-bound vehicles at definite intervals at Plappally and Nilackal. The parking lots at the main base camp at Nilackal have turned full.

Source : The Hindu

The ceremonial procession carrying Thanka Anki, (golden attire) of the presiding deity will reach Pampa on Tuesday forenoon and from there to the Sannidhanam, later, in the afternoon.

The presiding deity will be decorated with it prior to the Deeparadhana.

The temple will be closed after the Athazhapuja on Wednesday, marking the culmination of the Mandalapuja and will reopen for the Makaravilakku festival on December 30, 2012.

Mr. Poojary said the government had signed an agreement with the Kerala Muzrai Department under which a five-acre plot was provided to build the Karnataka Bhavan. He said he would lay the foundation stone at Nilakkal near Pampa on January 7. The project would cost Rs.10 crore, which would be met by the department. A seva kendra would be set up at Ernakulam,Cochin, and three temporary hospitals at Pampa, Appachimedu and at the Sannidhanam for the benefit of the devotees from the State, and necessary staff would be deputed for the purpose.