Devotees witness 'Makara Jyothi'

Marking the culmination of the two-month long pilgrimage season at the famous Lord Ayyappa temple, thousands of devotees on Wednesday witnessed 'Makara Jyothi' over the distant horizon above the Ponnambalamedu hills

Marking the culmination of the two-month long pilgrimage season at the famous Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala, thousands of devotees on Wednesday witnessed 'Makara Jyothi' over the distant horizon above the Ponnambalamedu hills amid chants of 'Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa'.

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Devotees thronged the temple from early morning to have darshan of the Lord on the Makarasankranthi day on Wednesday.

The temple premises reverberated with the chants of Ayyappa devotees from early morning that reached its crescendo when the 'Makara Jyothi' (celestial light) appeared.

Earlier, the 'Thiruvabharanam' procession which set off from Pandalam palace on Monday reached the Sannidhanam (sanctum sanctorum). Shortly after the 'deeparadhana' with the Idol of Lord Ayyappa adorned with holy jewels, a divine light appeared above Ponnamabalamedu and the entire temple area and foothills drowned in frenzied chants of 'Sarana Manthram'.