Festival · Ayyappa
Mandala Pooja
The 41st and last day of the Mandala at Sabarimala. The golden robe, the thanka anki, brought in procession, is placed on Lord Ayyappa for the great pooja, and the temple then closes for a few days.
- Mandala Pooja 2026
- Sunday 27 December 2026
- New Delhi
For New Delhi, Sunday 27 December 2026
- Sunrise
- 7:12 am
- Sunset
- 5:32 pm
- Moonrise
- 9:27 pm
- Moonset
- 9:55 am
Worked out for your city. Panchangs can differ by a minute or so.
Full panchang for this day →How it is kept
Customs vary by region and family
- Visit Sabarimala or an Ayyappa temple
- Complete the 41-day vratam with prayer
- Join the evening bhajans and Harivarasanam
What it remembers
Mandala Pooja is held at Sabarimala on the 41st and last day of the Mandala, in late December. Lord Ayyappa is dressed in the thanka anki, a robe of gold brought in procession across the hills, for the great pooja of the day, and the temple closes that night for a few days before it opens again for Makaravilakku.
Keeping the day
Most who keep the vratam are at Sabarimala or at an Ayyappa temple near home. Follow your guru swami where his way differs.
- Bathe early and pray before Lord Ayyappa, at Sabarimala, at his temple near you or at home.
- If you have kept the 41-day vratam, offer it to him in prayer today.
- Offer ghee, flowers and camphor; at Sabarimala ghee from the pilgrims’ coconuts is poured over him.
- Chant Swamiye Sharanam Ayyappa and the Shasta Pancharatnam.
- Join the evening bhajans, and listen to Harivarasanam as the temple closes.
- Share aravana payasam or appam, his prasad, with family and friends.
What you need
- Ghee, flowers and camphor
- A lamp
- A picture of Lord Ayyappa
- Prasad to share
Across India
Sabarimala
The great pooja is held with Lord Ayyappa in the thanka anki, before vast crowds, and the temple closes that night after Harivarasanam.
Aranmula and on the way
The thanka anki procession leaves the Parthasarathy temple at Aranmula and is received with lamps at temples and homes along its route.
Kerala
Ayyappa temples across the state hold special poojas, and many families light lamps in the evening.
Tamil Nadu and Karnataka
Ayyappa temples and camps mark the day with poojas and bhajans for pilgrims who could not make the climb.
When it falls
The 41st day of the Mandala in the Malayalam calendar, counted from the first of Vrischikam. The same date for every city.
These are the usual rules. A few days can differ by a day in your tradition, so check with your temple.
Mandala Pooja in the coming years
New Delhi, India time
- 2026Sunday 27 December 2026
- 2027Monday 27 December 2027
- 2028Tuesday 26 December 2028
Questions
When is Mandala Pooja in 2026?
Sunday 27 December 2026, in New Delhi. In a few places it can fall a day apart, so the date above is worked out for your city.
When does Mandala Pooja fall?
The 41st day of the Mandala in the Malayalam calendar, counted from the first of Vrischikam. The same date for every city.
How is Mandala Pooja kept?
Families visit Sabarimala or an Ayyappa temple, complete the 41-day vratam with prayer and join the evening bhajans and Harivarasanam. Customs vary by region and family.
Who is honoured on Mandala Pooja?
Ayyappa. The 41st and last day of the Mandala at Sabarimala. The golden robe, the thanka anki, brought in procession, is placed on Lord Ayyappa for the great pooja, and the temple then closes for a few days.
When is Mandala Pooja?
On the 41st day of the Mandala, counting the first of Vrischikam as the first day: 26 or 27 December. The Travancore Devaswom Board announces the exact hour of the pooja.
What is the thanka anki?
A robe of gold made for Lord Ayyappa, offered by the Maharaja of Travancore and kept at the Parthasarathy temple at Aranmula. It is carried in procession to Sabarimala for Mandala Pooja and placed on the image for the pooja.
What happens after Mandala Pooja?
The temple closes that night and stays closed for a few days, then opens again near the end of December for the days to Makaravilakku in mid-January.