Golden Anki Arrives for Sabarimala Mandala Pooja

The Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple will hold the mandala pooja on December 27. The golden anki, a sacred attire for Lord Ayyappa, will arrive in Sabarimala following a ceremonial procession. Devotees can view it on December 23. The Travancore Devaswom Board has begun serving traditional Kerala meals to pilgrims.

The Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple is set to host the mandala pooja on December 27, temple authorities announced on Sunday. The event will feature the ceremonial arrival of the golden anki, a sacred garment, which will be adorned on Lord Ayyappa's idol before the pooja.

The procession carrying the golden anki will start from the Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple on December 23 and is expected to reach Sabarimala by the evening of December 26. Following this, a deeparadhana will be performed as part of the pooja ceremony, which will culminate in a final prayer on the night of December 27.

Meanwhile, the Travancore Devaswom Board has initiated a free meal service, offering a traditional Kerala feast to the approximately 5,000 pilgrims visiting daily. This service, including local dishes like sambar, rasam, and payasam, aims to provide nourishment to attendees with the blessing of Lord Ayyappa.

(With inputs from agencies.)