Sannidhanam turns into a sea of devotees

Sannidhanam, the abode of Lord Ayyappa in Sabarimala has turned into a virtual sea of devotees on
Saturday with pilgrims reaching here in large numbers for a darshan of the deity and to have a glimpse of the holy Makara Jyothi, which would appear at Ponnambalamedu at Makara Sankramam on Monday evening.

Since Special officer K Jayakumar IAS took charge after repeated controversies of inefficiency of present Devaswom Board, there is marked change in the way things are governed.Extra-care is being taken to cope with the heavy rush of devotees especially since most of the pilgrims reaching Sabarimala now would not return till the sighting of Makara Jyothi.

The office of recently appointed Special Officer K Jayakumar IAS said all the 22 departments concerned with the pilgrimage at Sabarimala had been given strict instructions to see to it that pilgrims faced no difficulties at anywhere at Pamba, Sannidhanam or the trek in between.

Most of the places from where the Jyothi could be sighted perfectly have already been filled with devotees, who have put up tents with tarpaulin sheets,tree twigs, leaves and whatever they can lay their hands on.

Meanwhile, the Thiruvabharanam (holy ornaments) with which the deity is to be adorned during the Makara Samkrama Pooja left the Sree Sastha temple, Valiya Koyikkal, Pandalam for Sabarimala on Saturday noon. A group of 18 devotees led by Guruswami Kulathinal Gangadharan Pillai would take the Thiruvabharanam sets, kept in three wooden chests, to Sannidhanam, traversing the entire distance
through the traditional forest route on foot, in three days.

Thiruvathira Thirunnal Raghava Varma Raja is accompanying the Thiruvabharanam procession as representative of the King of Pandalam. Accompanied by hundreds of Ayyappa devotees, the Thiruvabharanam will reach Sannidhanam on Monday evening, just in time for putting it on the deity for the special evening Makara Samkrama Pooja.

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