Key Takeaways
- The Makaravillaku festival is a significant ritual of the Sabarimala pilgrimage.
- The festival features Makara Jyothi and Thiruvabharanam, which are visible during the Deeparadhana.
- The Makara Sankrama pooja is performed during the transit of the Sun from Dhanu Rasi to Makram Rasi, and includes a Neyyabhishekam using ghee from the Travancore Royal Palace.
Sabarimala (Kerala): ‘Makaravilakku’ and ‘Makara Jyothi’ Darshan, the most auspicious ritual of the two-month-long annual pilgrimage at the Lord Ayyappa temple, will be held on Tuesday evening after adorning the idol with ‘Thiruvabharanam,’ the sacred gold ornaments, which will be brought here from the Pandalam Valiyakoickal Sree Dharma Sastha temple.
The Makara Sankrama pooja will be performed during the transit of the Sun from Dhanu Rasi to Makram Rasi.
As part of the Makara Sankrama pooja, a ‘Neyyabhishekam’ will be performed by using the ‘ghee’ brought from erstwhile Travancore Royal Palace.
The Chief Priest of the temple will perform the Deeparadhana this evening in the presence of the Head Priest.
Coinciding with the Deeparadhana, a star (Makara) will be visible in the eastern horizon, marking the auspicious time of the sun moving from ‘Dakshinayanam’ to ‘Utharanayanam’.
During the Deeparadhana, ‘Makara Jyothi,’ the celestial light will be flickered thrice at Ponnambalamedu, a distant hill deep inside the forests facing Sabarimala.
The Makara Jyothi can be seen from Sannidhanam, Pandithavalam, Pulmedu, Hilltop, Chalakayam, Attathodu, Saramkuthi, Neelimala, and Marakootam.
After the customary holy Darshan to be facilitated exclusively for the royal representative from the Pandalam Palace on January 20, 2025, the temple will be closed, marking the culmination of the annual Makaravilakku festival.
