Sabarimala Temple: Annual ‘Thanka Anki’ procession begins on December 23

Sabarimala Temple: Annual ‘Thanka Anki’ procession begins on December 23

The annual Thanka Anki procession, one of the most sacred traditions linked to the Sabarimala pilgrimage, will commence from the Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple on the morning of December 23. The ceremonial journey marks an important phase ahead of the revered Mandala Puja at the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala.

According to officials of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), the procession carries the thanka anki, a richly ornamented golden attire that will be adorned on Lord Ayyappa. Weighing 453 sovereigns, the thanka anki was gifted to the deity by the Travancore royal family in the 1970s and holds immense spiritual and historical value.

Public Darshan and Sacred Journey

Devotees will be allowed to have darshan of the thanka anki at the Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple premises from 5 am to 7 am on December 23. Following this, the procession will move forward, receiving traditional receptions at several temples along its route.

The sacred journey is scheduled to reach the sannidhanam at Sabarimala on December 26, ahead of the evening deeparadhana. Upon arrival, the temple tantri (head priest) and melsanthi (chief priest) will jointly receive the golden attire and adorn it on the idol of Lord Ayyappa in a ceremonial ritual.

Mandala Puja and Pilgrimage Significance

The Mandala Puja, with the deity dressed in the divine thanka anki, will be performed on the afternoon of December 27. This puja marks the conclusion of the first phase of the nearly two-month-long annual Sabarimala pilgrimage season, which draws millions of devotees from across the country.

The Thanka Anki procession is regarded as a deeply spiritual event, symbolising devotion, tradition, and the enduring legacy of Sabarimala’s rituals. As the pilgrimage season progresses, the arrival of the golden attire is seen as a moment of heightened sanctity and divine grace for Ayyappa devotees.