Elaborate arrangements for the customary procession carrying the Thiruvabharanam, sacred jewellery of the Ayyappa Swamy, for the Makaravilakku festival at Sabarimala from Pandalam Today.

The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has made elaborate arrangements for the customary procession carrying the Thiruvabharanam, sacred jewellery of the Ayyappa Swamy, for the Makaravilakku festival at Sabarimala from Pandalam Today.

The ceremonial procession will set off from the Valiyakoickal Sastha Temple at Pandalam on todayday afternoon. The sacred jewellery was offered to the Lord Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala by the king of erstwhile Pandalam kingdom who is believed to be the foster father of Ayyappa.

It has been a custom since the past several decades to take the sacred jewellery in a ceremonial procession, escorted by a royal representative, to Sabarimala all the way from Pandalam for the annual Makaravilakku festival.

The Thiruvabharanam will be taken out of the palace strongroom on Monday morning and the palace authorities will hand it over to the TDB authorities by 4 a.m. The sacred ornaments will be kept at the adjoining Valiyakoickal Sastha Temple for the devotees to have darshan till 12.30 p.m.

The procession carrying the Thiruvabharanam will set off from the Valiyakoickal Palace at 1 p.m. The royal representative, Makayiramnaal Keralavarma Raja, will escort the ceremonial procession to Sabarimala this year.

The royal entourage will halt at the Ayroor Puthiyakavu Devi Temple near Ranni on Monday evening and at Laha Sathram on the Mannarakulanji-Chalakkayam main trunk road leading to Sabarimala on Tuesday evening.

The procession will reach Valiyanavattom near Pampa on Wednesday afternoon. TDB authorities will receive the Thiruvabharanam when the procession reaches Sabarimala Sannidhanam by 6.15 p.m.

The Tantri, Kandararu Rajeevararu, assisted by Melsanthi, E.N. Krishnadas Namboodiri, will decorate the Ayyappa idol with the Thiruvabharanam prior to the deeparadhana to be held at 6.30 p.m.

Sighting of the celestial star, Makarajyoti, on the eastern horizon of the Sannidhanam and a bright flame, Makaravilakku, flickering thrice on the remote hillside of Ponnambalamedu facing the Ayyappa Temple immediately after the deeparadhana will be the special event, which, the devotees consider as most auspicious, on the Makaravilakku day.

TDB authorities will receive the sacred jewellery when procession reaches Sabarimala Sannidhanam by 6.15 p.m. on Wednesday