Pathanamthitta, August 18, 2013: Hundreds of devotees undertook pilgrimage to the Lord Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala on the Malayalam New Year day on Saturday.

The temple witnessed heavy rush as a large number of devotees from different parts of South India thronged the Ayyappa Sannidhanam to worship the presiding deity.

The sanctum sanctorum was opened at 4.30 a.m. and the rituals began with the Maha Ganapati Homom followed by the Ashtabhishekom. The entire Sannidhanam was charged with the chanting of the ‘‘Ayyappa Saranam..’’ mantra.

Laksharchana

The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has offered a Laksharchana to the presiding deity on the first day in the Malayalam month of Chingom.

Another Laksharchana will be performed at the Maha Ganapati Temple at Pampa on Sunday morning.

A Sahasrakalasabhishekom and Kalabhabhishekom were performed at the temple prior to the Utchapuja.

Padipuja, Udayasthamanapuja and Pushpabhishekom were the other important rituals performed at the temple on Saturday.

Master Plan projects

TDB president M.P. Govindan Nair will lay the foundation stone for the two Annadana Mandapams and the Lower Tirumuttom development project at the Sannidhanam on Monday.

TDB member Subhash Vasu told The Hindu that Sunil Swami and Ashok Swami of the Kollam-based Sabari Group of Companies and Sudarshana Reddy of the Andhra Pradesh unit of the Sabarimala Ayyappa Seva Samajom will sponsor two Annadana Mandapams, estimated to cost Rs. 6 crore each.

Mr. Vasu said the work on the scientifically-designed coconut breaking area as well as the elevated approach (flyover) linking Malikappuram and the TDB Annadanam hall would be launched on the occasion.

He said the ground floor of the Annadana Mandapam would be completed before the beginning of the ensuing Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrim season in mid-November.

Source: The Hindu, DT. August 18, 2013.