Pampa, on the foothills of Sabarimala, which is usually chock-a-block with pilgrims, is now resonant with just a monotonous drone — that of the 30-odd earthmovers and trucks deployed by the District Disaster Management Authority for sand removal from the flood-ravaged river. The area now resembles a construction site.
Move further, and the trekking path to Sabarimala is eerily quiet. Devotees have been asked to stay away as part of lockdown norms. Hence, no ‘Saranam Ayyappa’ chants, no jostling of pilgrims. There is just an overwhelming stillness.
Animals have taken over a few spots. Hungry wild boars, with herds of piglets, roam about in search of food in Pampa and Sannidhanam. Earlier, they used to have their fill from the heaps of food waste left outside by the Annadanam centres and hotels. For the past three months, their food source has dried up. In the deep silence, birds, monkeys, bees and an occasional elephant make themselves loud and clear.
Only priests and staff
Just priests and staff on duty are allowed on the temple premises and the gilded Pathinettampady (18 steps). A deserted Sannidhanam is a rarity, especially when the temple is open for the monthly rituals. For the rituals for the Malayalam month of Midhunom, the temple was opened on Sunday evening.
On Wednesday, Melsanthi (head priest) A.K. Sudheer Namboodiri opened the sanctum sanctorum at 5 a.m. The rituals began with Tantri (chief priest) Kandararu Maheswararu Mohanararu performing the Ashtadravya Ganapati Homom at 5.20 a.m. The Neyyabhishekom to the deity was made prior to the Ushapuja at 7.30 a.m. and the temple was closed after the Utchapuja at 10 am. Hardly 10 people, comprising temple staff and police personnel on duty, were present at the sopanam to worship the deity during the pujas. They stood two metres apart.
The temple reopened at 5 p.m. for the evening rituals. Deeparadhana and Athazhapuja were performed at 6.30 p.m. and 7 p.m. respectively. The sanctum was closed with the Melsanthi singing the divine lullaby, ‘Harivarasanam, viswamohanam…’ at 7.30 p.m. The monthly rituals will come to a close on Friday.