Thanga Anki Procession Receives Grand Welcome at Sabarimala
Pathanamthitta:
The sacred Thanga Anki (golden attire) brought to the Sabarimala Sannidhanam for the Mandala Pooja received a grand and devotional welcome from devotees. Kerala Devaswom Minister V. N. Vasavan stated that the Mandala pilgrimage season is concluding smoothly without major complaints.
“The Mandala season is coming to an end without any complaints. No pilgrim who comes to Sabarimala will have to return without darshan,” the minister said.
The minister was speaking at a review meeting held at Pampa after assessing the arrangements made by various departments in connection with the upcoming Makara Vilakku festival.
According to official data, 3.33 million pilgrims visited Sabarimala up to December 25, and the number is expected to rise further. As per court directions, spot booking will continue with a daily limit of 5,000 pilgrims, and the existing virtual queue system will also remain unchanged.
The Thanga Anki procession reached Pampa by afternoon and was formally received by Minister V. N. Vasavan. At the holy 18 steps, the Travancore Devaswom Board President K. Jayakumar, board members K. Raju and P. D. Santhosh Kumar, Devaswom Commissioner B. Sunilkumar, ADGP S. Sreejith, and Chief Engineer Ranjith K. Shekhar were present.
Later, at the Sopanam, Thantri Kandaru Mahesh Mohanar, Melsanthi E. D. Prasad Namboothiri, and assistant priests ceremonially received the Thanga Anki and carried it into the sanctum sanctorum. The Maha Deeparadhana adorned with the Thanga Anki was held at 6:40 PM, after which devotees were allowed darshan of Lord Ayyappa.
The Thanga Anki used for Mandala Pooja was donated in 1973 by the former Travancore Maharaja, Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma. The procession began on Tuesday from the Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple.
Meanwhile, the temple will reopen on December 30 for the Makara Vilakku festival. The sanctum will close at 10 PM after the Harivarasanam on that day and reopen at 5 PM. The Mandala Pooja, marking the conclusion of the Mandala pilgrimage, will be held on Saturday between 10:10 AM and 11:30 AM, led by Thantri Kandaru Mahesh Mohanar.