Kerala’s annual harvest festival, Vishu, was celebrated at Sabarimala strictly adhering to the lockdown norms on Tuesday.
For the first time in its history, pilgrims were denied entry into Sabarimala, deemed as the largest pilgrimage centre in the whole of south India, against the backdrop of the nationwide lockdown as part of the COVID-19 prevention drive.
The Lord Ayyappa Temple at the holy hillock of Sabarimala was opened on Monday afternoon for the five-day monthly rituals in the Malayalam month of Medom that began on Monday.
Vishukkani
The melsanthi, A.K. Sudheer Namboodiri, assisted by other priests, arranged Vishukkani, with Kanikkonna (cassia fistula) flowers, fresh fruits, vegetables, paddy spikes, jewels and the traditional ashtamangalyam, inside the sanctum sanctorum on Monday night.
The Ayyappa Temple was opened for `Vishukkani’ darshan at 5 a.m. on Tuesday. The devaswom staff, priests, policemen and other staff on duty at Sabarimala had the Vishukkani darshan at the Ayyappa shrine, strictly complying with the social distancing norms.
Only five persons were permitted to enter the temple sopanam for the holy darshan and prayers.
Vishu-kaineettom
As is customary, the tantri, Kandararu Maheswararu Mohanararu, and the melsanthi offered coins during Vishu-kaineettom (offering of coins) to all the devaswom employees, police personnel and other staff on duty at Sabarimala in the morning.
The Travancore Devaswom Board has deployed only a skeleton staff at Sabarimala and Pampa for the smooth conduct of the monthly puja this time. The prasadom counters, accommodation office, and the Annadana Mandapam too remained closed.
Rituals
The rituals began with the tantri performing the auspicious Ashtadrava Ganapati homom in the morning.
The Devaswom Executive Officer, Rajendraprasad, told The Hindu that only routine rituals would be performed at the Ayyappa temple and at the Malikappuram Devi temple at Sabarimala on all the five days. Ganapati homom, Abhishekom, Ushapuja, Athazhapuja, Deeparadhana and Athazhapuja are the routine rituals to be performed at the Ayyappa temple during the monthly puja period.
The temple will be closed after the Athazhapuja on Saturday evening, marking the culmination of the five-day rituals in the Malayalam month of Medom.