January 31, 2026
Devotional Literaturetamildevotionalayyappasanskritsabarimalaharivarasanam
Harivarasanam (Hariharatmaja Ashtakam) is a divine lullaby sung every night at Sabarimala, marking the conclusion of the Athazha Puja (closing ceremony) in the Sannidhanam (sanctum sanctorum). As the hymn is rendered, the assistant priests (Melshanthis) exit the inner sanctum one after another, and during the final stanzas, the chief priest (Melshanthi) extinguishes the lamps inside the Sreekovil (sanctuary) sequentially. By the end of the song, all lamps are extinguished, leaving only the Melshanthi inside before the doors are locked for the night. Composed by Kumbakudi Kulathur Srinivasa Iyer, this eight-verse hymn is part of the Dharma Sastha Stuti Kadambam.
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