Panchangam 27 December 2026, Sunday: Sabarimala Mandala Pooja, Krishna Chaturthi, Ashlesha Nakshatra and Puja Vidhi

Quick answer: Sunday 27 December 2026 is the expected date of Mandala Pooja at Sabarimala, the end of the 41-day Mandalam season of Lord Ayyappa. Drik Panchang for Hyderabad gives Krishna Chaturthi until 5:12 PM IST, then Panchami, and Ashlesha nakshatra until 6:04 PM. Please confirm the temple schedule with the Travancore Devaswom Board.

For lakhs of Ayyappa devotees, today is the day forty-one days of discipline reach their fullness: simple food, black or blue clothes, early baths, celibacy and the constant chant of the Lord's name. For a full explanation, read our Sabarimala Mandala Pooja 2026 guide and the Sabarimala Mandalam and Makaravilakku 2026-27 season guide.

Today's Panchang (Hyderabad)

Source: Drik Panchang day panchang for Hyderabad, Telangana (IST). Tithi and nakshatra end times are the same instant everywhere in India; sunrise, sunset and moonrise shift by a few minutes from city to city.

Religious significance

Ayyappa, also called Dharma Shasta and Manikantha, is honoured as the son of Shiva and Vishnu in his Mohini form, and as a perpetual brahmachari (naishtika brahmachari) at Sabarimala. The Mandalam begins on the first day of the Malayalam month of Vrischikam, and devotees who wear the mala keep a 41-day vratham before climbing the eighteen sacred steps (Pathinettam Padi) with the irumudi on their heads.

The Mandala Pooja closes this period. A long-standing tradition is the procession of the Thanka Anki, the golden attire offered for the deity, which arrives at the shrine for the occasion. The details of each year's rituals and timings are set by the temple and the TDB; we do not list them here.

It is also Sunday, the day of Surya. Ashlesha, the nakshatra until 6:04 PM, is associated with the Nagas in classical lists, and Krishna Chaturthi, the tithi until 5:12 PM, is the day after Sankashti. None of these require separate rites; a short sunrise prayer to the Sun fits easily alongside Ayyappa worship.

Ayyappa puja at home

• Bathe early, wear clean clothes (black or blue if you are a mala-wearing devotee), and light a lamp before a picture of Ayyappa.
• Offer water to the rising Sun (6:44 AM in Hyderabad) as a Sunday custom.
• Offer flowers, sandal paste and vibhuti. Ghee is especially associated with Ayyappa worship; a ghee lamp is a fitting offering.
• Chant the mantra below, or recite the 108 names of Ayyappa.
• Offer naivedyam: aravana-style payasam made with rice and jaggery, appam, or fruit.
• In the evening, sing or play Harivarasanam, the lullaby sung at Sabarimala before the temple closes each night.

No materials? Stand with folded hands and chant "Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa" three times. Every devotee, on the hill or far away, says the same words.

Mantra for the day

Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa

Meaning: "O Lord Ayyappa, you are my refuge." It is the universal chant of Sabarimala pilgrims, called out on the path and at the steps. Chant it as surrender, not as a bargain for results.

Vratham guidance

Devotees completing the Mandalam may end their vratham according to their guru swamy's guidance, usually after darshan or a temple puja. Those not on the vratham can simply keep the day sattvic. Anyone who is elderly, pregnant or unwell should not take on fasting or strenuous pilgrimage without a doctor's advice.

What you can do today

• Watch the Mandala Pooja coverage from Sabarimala, or visit a local Ayyappa temple.
• Recite the 108 names of Ayyappa once with the family.
• Offer a ghee lamp in the evening.
• Read the twelfth Tiruppavai pasuram at dawn if you follow Dhanurmasam.
• Help a pilgrim or a fellow devotee, in the spirit of "swami" seeing the Lord in every person.
• Check only the TDB's official channels for Makaravilakku arrangements.

For families and children

Tell children the story of Manikantha, the baby found by King Rajasekhara of Pandalam, who grew up to bring tigress's milk for the queen. Let them learn the call "Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa" and its meaning. Older children can read about the eighteen steps and what each represents in tradition.

Hindus abroad: Sun 27 Dec at local sunrise

Outside India, go by your local sunrise, not Indian clock times. The table gives local sunrise and sunset and the tithi and nakshatra at local sunrise, computed with HinduTone's panchang calculator, validated against Drik Panchang; festival dates abroad can differ by a day — follow your temple's panchang.

Ayyappa temples abroad often hold Mandala Pooja on the nearest weekend, which in 2026 is the same Sunday. See Ayyappa deeksha for NRIs: the 41-day vratham abroad and Ayyappa Swami temples in the USA.

Frequently asked questions

Is Sabarimala Mandala Pooja on 27 December 2026?

Drik Panchang lists Mandala Pooja on Sunday 27 December 2026, which is also the date worked out from the Malayalam solar calendar. The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) announces the official schedule, so please confirm with the TDB before travelling.

What is the Mandala Pooja?

It is the culmination of the Mandalam, the 41-day period of austerity that Ayyappa devotees observe. At Sabarimala it is marked by special worship, and the deity is traditionally adorned with the Thanka Anki, a golden attire brought in procession for the occasion.

Can I observe Mandala Pooja at home?

Yes. Light a lamp before a picture of Ayyappa, chant Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa, offer flowers and a simple naivedyam, and sing or listen to Harivarasanam in the evening. Devotees who have kept the vratham abroad often complete it at a local Ayyappa temple.

Does the Sabarimala temple stay open after Mandala Pooja?

Traditionally the temple closes after the Mandala Pooja and reopens a few days later for the Makaravilakku season. Exact dates are set by the TDB each year, so check their official announcements.

Why is Sunday linked with Surya?

Sunday (Ravivara) is named after Ravi, the Sun, and many Hindus offer water to the rising Sun on Sundays. You can do this alongside Ayyappa worship today; it takes only a minute at sunrise.

A closing thought

Forty-one days of small disciplines add up to one great day. Whether you climbed the hill or lit a lamp at home, Mandala Pooja honours the effort. Next comes Makaravilakku in January. Tomorrow is a quiet Monday Panchami for Shiva.

Previous day: Panchang Saturday 26 December 2026. Next day: Panchang Monday 28 December 2026. Whole month: December 2026 Hindu festivals, dates and rituals.

Editor's note

Editor's note (9 October 2026): Panchang timings and festival observances can vary by location, regional calendar and family tradition. This guide follows Drik Panchang for Hyderabad (IST). Please verify local puja timings with a trusted panchang or priest.

Related guides

• Sabarimala Mandala Pooja 2026: date and significance
• Makaravilakku 2027 at Sabarimala
• Ayyappa Swamy 108 names
• Harivarasanam: lyrics and meaning