Trikarthika Deepam Celebrated at Sabarimala, Over 64,000 Devotees Visited on Thursday
On Thursday, the sacred day of Thrikarthika in the month of Vrischikam, the Sabarimala Sannidhanam shone brightly in the radiance of Karthika Deepam. The traditional lamps were lit just before the evening deeparadhana.
Thantri Kantaru Mahesh Mohanar lit the main Karthika lamp in a specially prepared setup at the Thidappalli. The flame was then shared and transferred to the stone lamps across the temple premises.
Lamps were lit in front of the sanctums of all the deities at Sannidhanam. Soon after, the Kamba vilakku was also illuminated. Various departments lit Karthika lamps in front of their offices, and employees along with pilgrims joined in lighting lamps throughout the Sannidhanam. Lamps also glowed at the Valiya Nadappanthal, Pandithavalam, Devaswom and government buildings, shops, Pampa, and Nilakkal.
Although the temple premises were less crowded in the morning, a heavy inflow of devotees began by evening. The queue to climb the sacred 18 steps stretched through the Valiya Nadappanthal and extended outward due to the large number of pilgrims. Devotees continued to arrive at Sannidhanam late into the night.