The final day. Aarattu — the deity’s ceremonial bath at the sacred water body — and the grand return procession with Melam and Thaalapoli. The Utsava closes with Thrikodi Irakkal, the lowering of the temple flag. The temple now stands fully re-energised — its journey of renewal complete.
Aarattu Kadavil Aaratt
In the late afternoon, the deity (in the Utsava murti / processional form) is carried in procession to the Aarattu Kadavu — the sacred bathing place — where the Aarattu is performed. The Aarattu is a ceremonial bath of the deity, performed not for cleansing but as a final consecration: the cumulative energies built up across the 17 days of Naveekarana and Utsava are formally settled into the murti by submerging it briefly in the consecrated water. The deity returns to the temple cooled, complete, settled.
Visheshal Thirichh Ezhunallippu
The return from the bathing place is a grand procession — Visheshal Thirichh Ezhunallippu — accompanied by Melam (the traditional Kerala temple drum ensemble) and Thaalapoli (the women’s procession bearing lamps and offerings). The entire neighbourhood receives the renewed deity’s grace as the procession winds its way back to the Sreekovil.
Thrikodi Irakkal
At 9:30 PM, on the same Dhwajasthamba where the flag was raised six days ago, the Thrikodi Irakkal — the ceremonial flag-lowering — formally closes the Utsava. The temple now returns to its regular daily worship cycle, but with a wholly renewed presence of Sree Ayyappa Swami at its centre. The final Harivarasanam is sung. The 17 days are complete.
|| Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa ||