The Aryavarth Express
Pathanamthitta (Kerala):
The Sabarimala temple came alive with light, music, and devotion on Tuesday evening as thousands of pilgrims gathered to witness the traditional Karpoorazhi festival, one of the highlights of the annual pilgrimage season.
Organised by the Travancore Devaswom Board, the vibrant spiritual procession showcased the temple’s rich cultural and ritual heritage. The Karpoorazhi procession, accompanied by fire torches, thakil, nadaswaram, karpoorazhi, muthukuda, chenda melam, shinkari melam, kavadi teams, and elaborate tableaux, began from the Kodimaram after Deeparadhana. The procession passed through the Sopanam and Malikappuram before reaching the Nadappanthal, with active participation from Devaswom Board employees.
Earlier in the day, the ceremonial procession carrying the Thanka Anki—the sacred golden attire of Lord Ayyappa—commenced from the Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple. The ritual marks an important tradition ahead of the Mandala Pooja at the Sabarimala Sannidhanam.
The Thanka Anki procession began around 7 a.m., accompanied by devotees and temple officials, symbolising the countdown to the Mandala Pooja, which concludes the 41-day Mandala pilgrimage season. The golden attire was donated by the late Maharaja of Travancore, Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, and is transported in a specially decorated chariot as part of the sacred ritual.
As the procession travelled along its traditional route, large crowds of devotees gathered to offer prayers and receive prasadam distributed by accompanying pilgrims. Extensive police security arrangements were put in place to ensure the safety of the golden chariot, pilgrims, and devotees, while also managing crowd movement along the route.
Traditionally, the Thanka Anki chariot halts at several temples before reaching Sabarimala. Authorities expect a heavy influx of pilgrims this season, following trends from previous years. During the last pilgrimage season, over 32.5 lakh devotees visited the Sabarimala temple.
The Thanka Anki is scheduled to reach the Sabarimala temple on December 26, ahead of the evening Deeparadhana. On the day of the Mandala Pooja, the idol of Lord Ayyappa will be adorned with the golden attire, marking a significant and sacred moment of the pilgrimage season.
Lord Ayyappa, worshipped as a warrior deity and revered for his commitment to Dharma, is believed to be the son of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu in his Mohini form and is also known as Hariharaputra.
