Kerala: Thanka Anki procession to commence from Aranmula today
SABARIMALA: The four-day procession carrying the Thanka Anki, the golden attire to be adorned on the idol of Lord Ayyappa during the Mandala Pooja ceremony on December 27, will be taken out from Aranmula Lord Parthasarathy temple at 6 am on Tuesday. Thanka Anki, the 24-carat golden attire weighing 456 sovereigns, donated by the former head of Travancore royal family Chithira Thirunal Marthanda Varma, will be taken in specially-decorated vehicle after performing special pooja at Lord Parthasarathy temple. Traditional receptions will be accorded to the Anki procession at temples on the entire route. After night halts at Omallur Sree Rakthakandaswami temple on the first day, at Konni Muringamangalam Lord Mahadeva temple on second day and Ranni-Perunadu Kakkadukoickal Sree Dharma Sastha temple on the concluding day of the journey, the procession will reach Lord Ayyappa temple at 6pm on December 26. The Anki procession will be given a reception by devaswom authorities and deeparadhana will be performed at the sreekovil after adorning the Anki at 6.30pm. The auspicious ceremony as part of Mandala Pooja will be performed by Thantri Kandararu Mahesh Mohanaru after adorning the Anki at 12.30pm on December 27. The temple will be closed in the evening after athazha pooja and harivarasanam at 10 m, marking the conclusion of the 41-day-long first phase of the annual pilgrimage season.
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