Ponnambalamedu Deeparadhana on Makaravilakku… Deeparadhana will be performed at Ponnamabalamedu on Makaravilakku when the Makarajyoti (Makara Nakshatram) appears in the sky. In 2026, Makaravilakku date is January 14.
The Makarajyoti is a celestial star that appears on the eastern horizon of the Sabarimala Sannidhanam on the day of Makara sankramam every year.
The Travancore Devaswom Board will perform the Deeparadhana at Ponnambalamedu. Tribal people used to perform this earlier. It has been stopped since the past several years. But the Temple Board had no objection to the tribal people participating in the ritual of Deeparadhana.
The Ponnambalamedu Deeparadhana is the central and most revered ritual during the Makara Vilakku festival at Sabarimala, taking place on January 14, 2026. This event involves the ceremonial lighting of the sacred Makaravilakku flame three times on the Ponnambalamedu hill, situated approximately 8 km from the Sabarimala temple and visible to lakhs of devotees gathered in the temple complex and surrounding areas.
Key Ritual Details
-
The Deeparadhana at Ponnambalamedu occurs in the evening, typically between 6 pm and 7 pm IST, immediately following the adornment of Lord Ayyappa with Thiruvabharanam and the main temple Maha Deeparadhana.
-
The flame is lit three times atop the hill, symbolizing the divine presence and blessings of Ayyappa, prompting devotees to offer intense prayers and chant “Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa”.
-
The event is witnessed by pilgrims from Sabarimala Sannidhanam, Pandithavalam, Pulmedu, and other vantage points, with massive crowds bursting into devotional chants upon sighting the flame.
-
Ponnambalamedu itself is a sacred site associated with tribal traditions and considered the spiritual abode of Ayyappa in local lore.
Ritual Sequence Table
Evening (6–7pm) – Thiruvabharanam adornment, main Deeparadhana at Sannidhanam, Lighting of Makaravilakku flame three times on Ponnambalamedu.
After the event – Devotees chant and offer prayers, festival celebrations peak
The Ponnambalamedu Deeparadhana is a deeply symbolic act, regarded as the spiritual crescendo of the Sabarimala pilgrimage and the divine manifestation of Lord Ayyappa’s blessings on earth.