Sabarimala was flagged off for the 10-day Painkuni Utram Mahotsavam. Tantri Kantar Maheshwar Mohan and Melshanti P.N. Mahesh Namboothiri also presided over the flag raising ceremony between 8.30 am and 9 am. Utsavabali, Utsavabali darshan and ezhunnallip will be held on the festival days. Painkuni Utram Mahotsavam is one of the main events of Sabarimala. This day will be held at Pampa in the afternoon. The Utram Mahotsavam will be flagged off after the Aarat Ghosaitra reaches back to Sannidhanam.
After completing Meenamasa pujas, Harivarasanam will be sung and Sabarimala will be closed. Painkuni Utram day is considered very auspicious as the marriage of Deviani with Goddess Murugan, Parvati with Goddess Shiva, Sita with Lord Rama and many other celestial marriages took place. On Painkuni Utram day, devotees seek blessings by visiting many famous temples of Lord Shiva and Lord Murugan.
Painkuni Uthram, also known as Meena Uttara Phalguni, is an important festival that is not very popular in Kerala but is celebrated with great importance in our neighboring state of Tamil Nadu and elsewhere. This festival is associated with Murugan, Ayyappan, Shiva and Vishnu. However, the legend associated with Murugan is the one that Tamil Nadu people worship with great devotion. Painkuni Utram is observed when Utram Nakshatra or Uttara Phalguni falls in the month of Phalguni (Meena). It usually comes in March/April.
Painkuni Utram in the month of Meena is a holy day with many special features. Painkuni Uthra is where the incarnation of Sabarimala Ayyappa Swamy, the Trikalyanam of Shivaparvati Subrahmanyam and the Tirumanam between Devasena and Aarat are performed at Sabarimala and Sri Padmanabha Swamy Temple.
