Kottayam:
A ceremonial procession carrying sacred ornaments of Lord Ayyappa to Sabarimala commenced from Valiyakoickal Sastha temple at Pandalam in Pathanamthitta district today for which large numbers of devotees turned up.
After the Pandalam Palace managing committee handed over the ornaments kept in a box to the special officer of Travancore Devaswom Board, which administers the temple, they were kept at the Sastha temple till 12.30 pm for the devotees to have darshan.
According to legend, the ornaments were given to Lord Ayyappa by his foster father Raja of Pandalam royal dynasty.
The Thiruvabharanam procession began from the temple soon after the eldest male member of the royal family handed over the ceremonial sword to the royal representative Hari Varma,
escorting the procession.
The Travancore Devaswom Board authorities will receive the jewellery when the procession reaches the Sannidhanam(Sabarimala temple).
It has been a custom to decorate the Ayyappa idol at Sabarimala with the sacred jewellery prior to 'deeparadhana' on Makaravilakku day on January 15, marking the end of the two-month long annual festival.