A new system to do Neyabhishekam at Sabarimala

The Travancore Devaswom Board has made a new arrangement at Sabarimala for devotees in doing the Neyabhishekam completely with the ghee they bring in. According to the new scheme, 30 per cent of the ghee that the devotees bring would return to them after the Neyabhishekam and the rest is collected in a container to be used fully at the next time of the ritual. This has been done in the most transparent way with the help of CCTV cameras, said Devaswom Executive Officer D Sudheesh Kumar. A fee of Rs 10 has been fixed for the new system. The new system would ensure every devotee that the ghee that they bring is not wasted and completely used to drench the idol. A special counter and queue system has already started at Sannidhanam.

 Neyabhishekam is the most important offering to Lord Ayyappa. The ghee-filled coconut is used for this. The ritual starts every day at 3 and continues till Ucha Pooja. A portion of the ghee after the offering to Lord Ayyappa will be returned to devotees. The ghee obtained from the Sanctum Sanctorum is taken back to home by the devotees with great reverence. For those who don't bring ghee for the Neyabhishekam there is also the facility to get the 'Adiyashistam Neyyu'. The ghee according to the belief symbolizes the human soul and through the abhishekam of the ghee on the deity, it is believed, that the soul merges with the supreme being. The jeevathma is the ghee and the paramathama is the Lord Ayyappa.