INDIA, April 19, 2011 (The HIndu): “Vishu,” a festival of luck and prosperity, was celebrated with religious fervour at the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple on Friday.
The temple witnessed heavy rush as thousands of devotees from different parts of south India thronged the hillock to witness the auspicious ‘Vishukkani’ on Friday morning. Chief priest Ezhikode Sasi Namboodiri assisted by other priests arranged the ‘Vishukkani’ with flowers, especially that of cassia fistula (kanikkonna), fresh fruits, vegetables, paddy spikes, jewels, and Ashtamangalyom inside the sanctum sanctorum immediately after the ‘Athazhapuja’ on Thursday evening. The temple was opened at 4 a.m. for the ‘Vishukkani’ darshan.
Sabarimala Sannidhanam has been witnessing heavy rush since Thursday evening and devotees had to wait for five to six hours for darshan on Friday. Though the darshan was scheduled to end by 7 a.m., the temple authorities were forced to extend it till 8.30 a.m. owing to the unprecedented rush.
The temple will be closed on April 18 evening, marking the culmination of the Vishu festival.