Pathanamthitta (Kerala) | The annual ceremonial procession carrying the 'thanka anki,' to be adorned on lord Ayyappa for the auspicious 'mandala puja', will begin from the Aranmula Parthasarathy temple on the morning of December 23, authorities said.

Weighing 453 sovereigns, the 'thanka anki' (heavy, ornate gold dress) was a gift to Ayyappa from the Travancore royal family in the 1970s.

The procession is scheduled to reach the sannidhanam (temple complex) on December 26, ahead of the evening deeparadhana (aarti), officials of the Travancore Devaswom Board said on Monday.

The 'anki' will be available for public darshan at the Parthasarathy temple premises from 5 am to 7 am on December 23. After receiving receptions at various temples en route, the procession will reach Sabarimala on December 26.

The temple tantri (head priest) and melsanthi (chief priest) will jointly receive the golden attire and adorn it on the idol of Ayyappa in the evening.

The 'mandala puja' with the deity adorned in the 'anki', will be performed on the afternoon of December 27, TDB officials added.

The puja marks the culmination of the first leg of the nearly two-month-long annual pilgrimage season.