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Makaravilakku
- When the Eagle Soars over the Lamp The holly hillock of
Sabarimala witnesses a heavy rush on the eve of the Makaravilakku
day as thousands of pilgrims turn up for the darshan of
the Makarajyothi, the celestial light that is believed to
appear on the eastern horizon of Sannidhanam. The route
of the pilgrims is often regulated at Pampa to ease the
pressure at Sannidhanam where thousands of pilgrims camp
for days.
The pilgrims who participate in the Petta Thullal at Erumeli
reach Pampa in different groups and prepare a feast on the
banks of the river as per the custom known as the Pampa
Sadya. Hundreds of pilgrims participate in the Sadya at
Pampa Manalapuram.
When the Deeparadhana progresses inside the sanctum sanctorum,
the Makarajyothi appear on the eastern horizon thrice to
the spiritual solace of the thousands of devotees congregated
at the holly hills. And with the lamp, soars Krishna Parunthu,
the divine Eagle as sign of ominous future. This is a ritual
that has been going on unbroken for generations.
The
Thiruvabharanam which starts from Pandalam on 28th Dhanu
, after scheduled halts at Ayroor-Puthiyakavu and Laha ,
reaches Saramkuthi on the third day evening (1st Makaram)
and is ceremonially escorted to the sanctum sanctorum. When
the Sreekovil opens for 'deeparadhana' , the Lord is seen
in all His divine splendor, adorned with the jeweled gold
ornaments .At the distant eastern hilly horizon , the light
of 'jyothi' appears to the immense satisfaction of the thousands
of devotees who have thronged to the temple to pay obeisance
to the Lord. The occasion is also marked by the divine appearance
of the 'star' in the eastern sky and the hovering 'krishnapparunthu'
far above the temple. This marks the grand finale of the
two-month period to the Sabarimala pilgrimage.
The Raja of Pandalam who stayed back at Pampa on 1st Makaram
arrives at Sabarimala on 3rd Makaram.Devotees continue to
arrive in large numbers for 'darshan' of the deity adorned
with the holy ornaments and to obtain the blessings of the
Raja. 'Darshan' on the morning of 7th Makaram is exclusively
restricted to the Pandalam Raja, after which the temple
will be closed and the Raja returns to Pandalam , taking
the Thiruvabharanam with him.
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