Thiruvabharanam procession to Begin Friday

SABAIMALA: The three-day procession carrying the Thiruvabharanam, the attire in gold to be adorned on the idol of Lord Ayyappa on Makaravilakku day on January 15, will set off its journey from Pandalam Valiyakoickal Sree Dharma Sastha temple on Friday. The sandalwood boxes containing the Thiruvabharanam, to be carried on head by a 15-member team headed by Kulathinal Gangadharan Nair and Pratapan, will leave the temple at 1 pm after sighting “Krishnaparunthu” on the sky above the temple.  A 20-member devaswom team headed by Aranmula devaswom assistant commissioner T P Sreekumar and Ajithkumar will be in-charge of the procession. An armed police personnel team will provide security to the procession up to Sabarimala. Hari Varma will be the representative of Pandalam Raja to accompany the Thiruvabharanam to Sabarimala. After leaving Pandalam temple, the procession will halt at Kulanada Bahagavthi temple after touching Kaippuzha temple.Reception at Ullannur The Thiruvabharanam procession will be accorded a traditional reception on its arrival at Ullannur Sree Bhadradevi tempe at 2 p.m. The Thiruvabharanam boxes will be opened for darsan of the thousands of devotees who gather there. Before the first day’s halt at Ayroor Puthiyakavu Bhagavathi temple, the procession will touch Kuriyanappally, Kidangannur, Aranmula, Pampadimon and Cherukole.  After leaving Ayroor, the procession will have a night’s halt at Laha Forest Inspection Bunglow on Saturday, after touching Idappavoor, Ranni-Vaikom, Idakkulam, Vadasserikara, Madamon, Perunad and Koonamkara Sabari Saransramam. After leaving Laha, Thiruvabharanam procession will reach Valiyanavattom at 1 pm  on Sunday after touching Plappally, Nilackal Sree Mahadeva temple and Attathode. The procession will be accorded a traditional reception on its arrival at Saramkuthi by a devaswom team led by Sabarimala devaswom executive officer M Satheeshkumar.  On arrival at Sopanam, a team led by Travancore Devaswom Board president M Rajagopalan Nair will receive the Thiruvabaharanam at 6.10 pm. Thantri Kandararu Maheswararu and Melsanthi N Balamurali will receive the Thiruvabaharanam in front of the sreekovil and deeparadhana will be conducted after adorning the Thiruvabharanam on the idol at  6.40 pm..