Padi pooja from January 16

SABARIMALA: Padi pooja, the special ritual to be conducted for the first time during the ongoing pilgrimage season, will be held at Lord Ayyappa temple for five days from January 16.  The ritual, to be conducted in the name of the 18 Hill Gods of Lord Ayyappa, will be held at 7.30 p.m. after Deeparadhana and Pushpabhishekam, Sabarimala devaswom executive officer M Satheeshkumar said.  Thantri Kandararu Maheswararu would perform the poojas on all the Holy Steps in the presence of Melsanthi N Balamurali, Satheeshkumar said.  The ritual would conclude with an“arati” by the thantri in front of the Holy Steps.Neyyabhishekam offering till Jan 19:    Satheeshkumar said the Neyyabhishekam offering facility for the pilgrims would conclude on January 19.   The pilgrims would be able to offer Neyyabhishekam till 10 a.m. on January 19.Kalabhabhishekam on Jan 19:  The customary Kalabhabhishekam ritual, the special ritual to cool the idol of Lord Ayyappa from the heat generated by the continuous neyyabhishekam by pilgrims, would be held on January 19.  The ritual would be conducted after Kalasabhishekam before the Uchcha  pooja. As part of ritual, Thantri Maheswararu  would perform Kalabhakalasa pooja in the Nalambalam at 11.30 a.m., followed by the procession carrying the Kalabhakalasam led by the thantri and melsanthi by circumambulating the Sreekovil of the temple.Darsan till January 20:  Satheeshkumar said that the darsan facility for the pilgrims during the ongoing season would be allowed till the closure of the nada at 11 p.m. on January 20.“Guruthi” at Malikappuram: The annual “Guruthi” ritual would be conducted at Malikappuram after the closure of the temple at 11 p.m. on January 20.Temple closure:  Lord Ayyappa temple would be closed on January 21 after the darsan by the representative of the Pandalam raja.Thiruvabharanam return procession:  The procession carrying the Thiruvabharanam would leave from Sabarimala for Pandalam at 7.30 a.m. on January 21.