Ayyappa temple opens tomorrow for pooja

Pathanamthitta, Kerala, Mar 13 (UNI) The Lord Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala will be opened tomorrow for special ''Pooja'' to be held in the Malayalam month of ''Meenam'' from March 15 to 19.

Melsanthi E Eswaran Nampoothiri will open the sanctum sanctorum at 1730 hrs.

''Padipooja'' and ''Udayasthamana Pooja'' will be performed on all five days. Apart from this, auspicious ''Kalabhabhishekam'' will be offered to Lord Ayyappa on March 15, 17 and 19.

'Sahasrakalasabhishekam' will be performed on March 18 and 19.

The temple will be closed on March 19 after ''Athazha Pooja''.

The hill shrine will be reopened on March 22 at 1730 hrs for the celebration of Annual Temple Festival. Tantri Kantararu Rajeevaru will hoist the ceremonial flag between 0940 hrs and 1030 hrs on March 23 marking the commencement of the festival.

The traditional ''Uthsava Bali'' will be performed on all days from March 24 to 31. ''Sreebhoothabali'' will also be held from March 23 to 31. ''Pallivetta', a ritualistic enactment of legendary martial exploits of warrior Ayyappa will be held at Saramkuthy on the trtaditional trekking path on March 31.

The Arattu ceremony to mark the culmination of ten-day-long festival, will be held at the ''Arattukadavu'' in river Pampa on April one. The Arattu procession will return to ''Sannidhanam'' by dusk and the festival flag will be brought down by Tantri.

UNI