Niraputhari Festival is a unique ritual observed at the famous
Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple in Kerala. It is the offering of first paddy to the
deity. For the rituals devotees bring fresh paddy as well as threshed paddy as their
offering to Lord Ayyappa.
Devotees trek the holy hills carrying bundles of paddy
spikes on their head.
Lord Ayyappa is offered Naivedyam (cooked offering) made of the
fresh paddy as part of the Niraputhari ritual.
The paddy spikes are also distributed as prasadam to
devotees.
The festival falls in the Karkidakom month (July – August)
as per traditional Malayalam calendar followed in Kerala.
Sahasrakalasabhishekom and Kalabhabhishekom are performed on
the previous day.
The shrine opens for two days during the ritual.