Tue Jan 14 12:50:00 UTC 2025: ## Makaravilakku Festival Draws Two Lakh Devotees to Sabarimala
**Sabarimala, Kerala:** The annual Makaravilakku festival at Sabarimala Ayyappan Temple culminated in a spectacular display of faith and tradition on [Date], attracting an estimated two lakh devotees. The celestial event, marked by the appearance of the Makar Jyothi (a star) on the eastern horizon and the lighting of the Makaravilakku lamp atop Ponnambalamedu hill, filled the atmosphere with a palpable sense of spirituality.
Devotees thronged the temple and its surrounding areas, their chants of “Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa” echoing through the air as they witnessed the auspicious convergence of the celestial light and the ceremonial lamp. The temple was meticulously prepared, with the 18 steps leading to the sanctum sanctorum cleansed with fragrant herbs following the morning Makaravilakku pooja.
A procession carrying the sacred Thiruvaabharanam (divine ornaments) was received with traditional ceremonies at Sharankuutti before ascending the 18 steps to the temple. The Thiruvaabharanam was then adorned on the deity, followed by the Deeparadhana ceremony (lighting of lamps), coinciding with the appearance of both the Makar Jyothi star and the temple lamp.
Devotees, deeply moved by the sight of the adorned deity, concluded their pilgrimage with hearts full of devotion. The event was marked by an unusual anecdote of an Ayyappa devotee from Rajasthan playing the Oadakuzhal (a type of wind instrument) using his nose.
**(Note: The last sentence about the devotee from Rajasthan and the unrelated news about the man found alive in a morgue have been included for completeness, but these are not directly related to the main event of the Makaravilakku festival.)**
First Piper 