Sabarimala pilgrimage begins on 17 November 2009
Sabarimala is a pilgrimage centre in Kerala located in the Western Ghat mountain ranges of Kerala in Pathanamthitta District. Lord Ayyappan’s temple is situated here in the midst of 18 hills. The area is in the Sahya ranges of Kerala. The temple is situated on a hilltop at an altitude of 914m/3000 ft above mean sea level, and is surrounded by mountains and dense forests. Temples exists in each of the hills surrounding Sabarimala. While functional and intact temples exist at many places in the surrounding areas like Nilackal, Kalaketi, and Karimala, remnants of old temples survive to this day on remaining hills. Sabarimala is believed to be the place where Ayyappan meditated after killing the powerful demon, Mahishi.
Sabarimala temple is one of the oldest existing temples in India. Historians and Archaeologists have studied deeply about the temple, its construction pattern the interpretation of the legends associated with Sabarimala etc… and suggested that the temple is at least 4000-4250 years old. But according to popular belief the temple is 4800 -5000 years old
Sabarimala was known in other 2 different names in pre-historic times. One is Madanga Mala as the sage Madanga was staying there. The other name of the place is Potalaka which derives from ‘Pottu’ and ‘Ulaka’. Pottu means light in ancient Tamil and Ulaka means place. The references of this place are in the old scriptures starting from Ramayana who came to meet the Sabari, the tribal devotee of Ram and disciple of Swamy Madanga.
Sabarimala is one of the most visited piligrim centres in the world with an estimated 4.5 – 5 crores devotees coming every year. The world’s second largest annual pilgrimage (after Hajj in Mecca) is reported to be to Sabarimala.
The pilgrimage to Sabarimala is a singular example of one where pilgrims, without consideration of caste, creed, position or social status, go with one mind and one mantra dreaming constantly of the darshan of the presiding deity at the Holy Sannidhanam. Vehicles can go up to Pamba River. However no girls/women between the age of 12-50 are allowed to visit this temple. This temple is very popular amongst all South Indians. The devotees are expected to follow a vratham(41-day penance), i.e. during this period they are to refrain from meat, fish, alcohol, tobacco, sex, using foul words, refrain from hair cut, shaving and should visit the local temples regularly and wear a special Mala( A garland made of Rudhraksha or Tulasi beads) and only black coloured dresses. Presently the conditions for Vratham are not as strict as it used to be earlier.
The presiding deity at Sabarimala is Dharma Sastha/Lord Ayyappan/Ayyanaar, one of the most venerated deities among the Hindu pantheon of gods. Every year millions of Indians, irrespective of caste, creed or religion throng the tiny complex to have darshan of Lord Ayyappan. True to the Hindu philosophy of ‘thathvamasi’ (that thou art), at Sabarimala, Lord and his devotee commune directly, sans intermediaries.
Legend has it that the temple at Sabarimala was built by Parasurama, the warrior-sage who reclaimed the Land of Kerala from the sea. Sabarimala is one of the five ‘panchashastha’ temples erected by the powerful yogi to protect Kerala from destructive elements, the others being Kulathuppuzha, Aryankavu, Achankovil and Erumeli. At Kulathuppuzha, the Lord is worshipped as an infant boy, at Aryankavu as an adolescent on the verge of matrimony and at Achankovil, he is depicted as a ‘grihasthashrami’ with his wives, Poorna and Pushkala.
There is a place near the temple (east of Sannidhanam), dedicated to the Vavar, a Muslim who was the disciple of Ayyappan, called "Vavarunada". The temple is open for worship only during the days of Mandalapooja (November 15 to December 26), Makaravilakku (January 15) and Vishu (April 14), and the beginning of every month in the Malayalam calendar. Sabari was a devotee of Lord Rama. Her devotion is widely attributed to that of an ideal devotee. Lord Ayyappa wanted his pilgrims to honour the same attributes as that of Sabari and hence the hill on which the temple is situated is known as Sabarimala.
Vehicular traffic cannot go beyond Pampa, situated on the Pampa river valley and the last five kilometres to the shrine can be best reached by trekking. However, porter carried chairs (called as doli locally) are also available for the aged and handicapped pilgrims.
Thereafter, pilgrims have to follow a path approximately four kilometres up a steep hill. The path, now fully cemented, with shops and medical aid by the sides, used to be a mere trail through dense forest.
Sabarimala, Kerala’s famed temple, opens its doors Monday for the annual two-month pilgrimage that is expected to see over 40 million devotees visiting the hilltop shrine this year.
The health department has made arrangements for the devotees at the foothills and enroute to the temple top, including increasing the number of “oxygen parlours”.
The Indian Railways has announced it will operate more coaches while the state state government will run more buses. Here is a Video:
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