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The Sabarimala Temple (; ml, ശബരിമല ക്ഷേത്രം) is a temple complex located at
Sabarimala The Sabarimala Temple (; ml, ശബരിമല ക്ഷേത്രം) is a temple complex located at Sabarimala hill inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve in the Perinad Village, Pathanamthitta district, Kerala, India. It is one of the largest ...
hill inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve in the Perinad Village, Pathanamthitta district, Kerala, India. It is one of the largest annual pilgrimage sites in the world with an estimate of over 10 to 15 million devotees visiting every year. The temple is dedicated to a Hindu ''Brahmachari'' (Celibate) deity Ayyappan also known as ''Dharma Shasta'', who according to belief is the son of Shiva and
Mohini Mohini (Sanskrit: मोहिनी, ') is the Hindu goddess of enchantment. She is the only female avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu. She is portrayed as a ''femme fatale'', an enchantress, who maddens lovers and demons, sometimes leading them t ...
, the feminine incarnation of Vishnu. The traditions of Sabarimala are a confluence of Shaivism, Vaishnavism, and other Śramaṇa traditions. The temple is situated on a hilltop amidst eighteen hills at an altitude of 1260 m (4,134 ft) above sea level, and is surrounded by mountains and dense forests. The dense forest, part of the Periyar Tiger Reserve, around the temple is known as Poongavanam. Temples exist in each of the hills surrounding Sabarimala. While functional and intact temples exist at many places in the surrounding areas like
Nilakkal Nilakkal (), also spelled Nilackal, or formerly Chayal, is a remote ghat region located in the Goodrical range of Ranni forest division in Pathanamthitta District in the Indian state of Kerala.Nearest Railway Station Is Thiruvalla,Located At A D ...
, Kalaketty, and Karimala, remnants of old temples survive to this day on remaining hills. In response to a
PIL Public Image Ltd (abbreviated and stylized as PiL) are an English post-punk band (and incorporated limited company) formed by singer John Lydon (previously known as the singer of Sex Pistols), guitarist Keith Levene, bassist Jah Wobble, and dr ...
filed in 1991, the
Kerala High Court The High Court of Kerala is the highest court in the Indian state of Kerala and the Union territory of Lakshadweep. It is located in Kochi. Drawing its powers under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, the High Court has the power to issu ...
had judged that the restriction of entry of women ages 10–50 to the temple was in accordance with the usage prevalent from time immemorial, and it directed the
Devaswom Board Devaswom ( sa, dēvasvaṁ; ) are socio-religious trusts in India, whose members are nominated by the government and community. They oversee Hindu temples and their assets to ensure their smooth operation in accordance with traditional rituals and ...
to uphold the customary traditions of the temple and also concluded that "since there is no restriction between one section and another section or between one class and another class among the Hindus in the matter of entry to a temple (Sabarimala) whereas the prohibition is only in respect of women of a particular age group and not women as a class." However, On 28 September 2018, the
Supreme Court of India The Supreme Court of India ( IAST: ) is the supreme judicial authority of India and is the highest court of the Republic of India under the constitution. It is the most senior constitutional court, has the final decision in all legal matters ...
, in a 4-1 majority decision (4 men and 1 woman judicial panel), overturned the ban on the entry of women. But the lone woman judge,
Indu Malhotra Indu Malhotra is a retired judge and senior counsel of the Supreme Court of India. She was the second woman to be designated as Senior Advocate by the Supreme Court. She was the first woman advocate to be elevated as a judge of the Supreme C ...
noted in her dissenting judgement that "what constitutes an essential religious practice is for the religious community to decide" and not a matter that should be decided by the courts. She added that "notions of rationality cannot be invoked in matters of religion by courts". The Chief Justice,
Dipak Misra Justice Dipak Misra (born 3 October 1953) is an Indian jurist who served as the 45th Chief Justice of India from 28 August 2017 till 2 October 2018. He is also former Chief Justice of the Patna High Court and Delhi High Court. He is the nephe ...
, stated that the selective ban on women was not an "essential part" of Hinduism, and instead a form of "religious patriarchy". Justice
Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud (born 11 November 1959) is an Indian judge who is appointed as the List of chief justices of India, 50th and current Chief Justice of India. He is a former chief justice of the Allahabad High Court and a former ju ...
stated that the ban "stigamatises" and "stereotypes" women, while "placing the burden of men's
celibacy Celibacy (from Latin ''caelibatus'') is the state of voluntarily being unmarried, sexually abstinent, or both, usually for religious reasons. It is often in association with the role of a religious official or devotee. In its narrow sense, the ...
" on them. After supreme court verdict, the southern state of Kerala had witnessed huge protests and mass rallys. Devotees have filed around 65 review petition against 28 September 2018 order.Supreme Court of India even accepted a review petition against it own order. However considering the facts and circumstance of the matter, Supreme Court has accepted the review petition and decided to hear the proceeding in an open court. After Completion of the hearing in February 2019, the Court ordered under the new Chief Justice Mr. Ranjan Gagoi, to refer the matter to big bench comprising 7 judges to re-consider the decision of 28 September 2018. The temple is open for worship only during the days of ''Mandalapooja'' (approximately 15 November to 26 December), ''
Makaravilakku Makaravilakku is an annual festival held on Makara Sankranti in Kerala, India at the shrine of Sabarimala. The festival includes the Thiruvabharanam (sacred ornaments of Lord Ayyappan) procession and a congregation at the hill shrine of Sabari ...
'' or " Makara Sankranti" (14 January) and
Maha Thirumal Sankranti Maha and MAHA may refer to: * Maha (name), an Arabic feminine given name * ''Maha'' (film), a Tamil thriller film * MaHa, Nepali comedy duo, Madan Krishna Shrestha and Hari Bansha Acharya * Maha Music Festival, an annual music festival held on ...
(14 April), and the first five days of each Malayalam month. The pilgrimage includes a unique tradition, that of offering prayer at a mosque of
Vavar Vavar (), known reverently as Vavarswami, is a legendary figure from Kerala. He is the celebrated Muslim acquaintance of Hindu deity Ayappan. There is a shrine dedicated to Vavaraswami at Sabarimala, as well as Vavaraswami's mosque at Erumely oppos ...
, a Muslim devotee of Ayappan.


Origins

The worship of '' Shasta'' forms part of the ancient history of south India. At Sabarimala, the deity is worshiped as Ayyappan. The shrine of Sabarimala is an ancient temple. It is believed that the prince of
Pandalam dynasty Pandalam dynasty (Malayalam:പന്തളം രാജവംശം) a royal dynasty emerged from a branch of Pandya kingdom. which existed in Kerala during the Kollam era. They came to Kerala fearing the assault of the Nayaks of Madurai. ...
, an avatar of Shasta, meditated at Sabarimala temple and became one with the divine. The place where the prince meditated is the Manimandapam. There are many Shasta temples in South India and across the globe. As per tradition, the Shasta temple at Sabarimala is one of the five Shasta temples founded by Lord Parasurama, an avatar of Lord Vishnu. The other Shasta temples in this group of five includes the Ayyappan Temples: at
Kulathupuzha Kulathupuzha is a small town in the eastern part of Kollam district of Kerala, India. It is one of the important pilgrim spots linked with the legend of Sabarimala. Kulathupuzha is also the birthplace of the Malayalam music legend Raveendran. Kul ...
, where the Shasta appears as a Balaka or child; at Aryankavu where the lord appears as a Brahmachari or young man; at Achankovil Shastha Temple, where the lord leads the Grihastha Ashrama life here and at Sabarimala, where the lord is depicted in the Vanaprastha as a Naistika Brahmachari or unmarried
celibate Celibacy (from Latin ''caelibatus'') is the state of voluntarily being unmarried, sexually abstinent, or both, usually for religious reasons. It is often in association with the role of a religious official or devotee. In its narrow sense, th ...
; at Ponnambala Medu the lord appears as a "makaravilaku". In 1821, the kingdom of Pandalam was added to Travancore. 48 major temples including the Sabarimala temple were also added to Travancore. Origins of Shabrimala starts with Ramayana. Shabari was a woman from a village. According to Krishna Dutt, she was a seeker of knowledge and wanted to know the meaning of Dharma. After days of travel, she met Sage Matanga at the foot of Mount Rishyamukha. She accepted him as '' guru'', serving him with devotion for many years. When Matanga was about to die, Shabari, now elderly, stated that after serving him throughout her life, she now sought to reach for herself the same "abode of peace" which Matanga had reached. The sage responded that, if she offered '' seva'' (service), Lord Rama would give her ''
darshana In Indian religions, ''Darshana'', also spelt ''Darshan'', (Sanskrit: दर्शन, , ) or ''Darshanam'' (darśanam) is the auspicious sight of a deity or a holy person. The term also refers to six traditional schools of Hindu philosophy ...
''. He told her to await Rama's arrival. Then, while sitting in lotus posture, the sage attained '' Mahasamadhi''. Following her guru's advice, Shabari awaited Rama's arrival. Every day, Shabari would go out of her ''
ashram An ashram ( sa, आश्रम, ) is a spiritual hermitage or a monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or a ...
'', with the help of a walking stick, and pluck berries for Rama. She would pluck one, taste it and, if it was sweet, she would put it in her basket, discarding the bitter ones. She wanted to give the good berries to Rama. She didn't know that offerings must not be tasted. Thus, collecting a few berries, Shabari would return to the ''ashram'' and eagerly await Rama's arrival.


Rama's Arrival

According to the scriptural account, even though hundreds of other ''
yogis A yogi is a practitioner of Yoga, including a sannyasin or practitioner of meditation in Indian religions.A. K. Banerjea (2014), ''Philosophy of Gorakhnath with Goraksha-Vacana-Sangraha'', Motilal Banarsidass, , pp. xxiii, 297-299, 331 T ...
'' were waiting to receive Rama in their ''ashrams'', Rama went only to Shabari's ashram because of her sincere devotion. On seeing Rama, Shabari became ecstatic and said, "There were so many exalted ''yogis'' waiting for your ''darshan'', but you came to this unworthy devotee (...) This clearly shows that you will neither see whether a devotee lives in a palace or humble hut, whether he is erudite or ignorant (...) neither see caste nor color. You will only see the true ''bhakti'' (...) I do not have anything to offer other than my heart, but here are some berries. May it please you, my Lord." Shabari offered the fruits which she had meticulously collected. As Rama tasted them, Lakshmana raised the concern that Shabari had already tasted them and they were, therefore, unworthy of eating. To this, Rama responded that, of the many types of food he had tasted, "nothing could equal these berries, offered with such devotion. You taste them, then alone will you know. Whomsoever offers a fruit, leaf, flower or some water with love, I partake in it with great joy." Traditional writers use this narrative to indicate that in ''
bhakti ''Bhakti'' ( sa, भक्ति) literally means "attachment, participation, fondness for, homage, faith, love, devotion, worship, purity".See Monier-Williams, ''Sanskrit Dictionary'', 1899. It was originally used in Hinduism, referring to d ...
'', faults are not seen by the deities. Pleased with Shabari's devotion, Rama blesses her with his vision. Rama notices the ''donas'', or bowls, of handmade leaves in which she had offered the fruits and is impressed by the hard work Shabari has gone through to make them and, hence, blesses the tree so that the leaves naturally grow in the shape of a bowl. Lord Ram also said that the entire mountain would be known in her name as Shabari mala (Mala in malayalam means mountain. So literal translation means Shabari's mountain) and also said that in Kaliyuga, a son born from Lord Shiva and Lady Mohini, will come there to and will get concretised. He will be known as Dharma Shasta and will guide the estranged people. Shabari also tells Rama to take help from
Sugriva ''This character is about the vanara, in the Ramayana.'' Sugriva ( sa, सुग्रीव, , ) is a character In the ancient Indian epic Ramayana. He is the younger brother of Vali, whom he succeeded as ruler of the vanara kingdom of Kishk ...
and where to find him. The Ramayana says that Shabari was a very bright and knowledgeable saint. The ashram in which Shabari stayed and waited for Lord Rama was called as Shabari Narayan which was situated in today's Shivrinaryan. A town located in Janjgir-Champa district in
Chhattisgarh Chhattisgarh (, ) is a landlocked state in Central India. It is the ninth largest state by area, and with a population of roughly 30 million, the seventeenth most populous. It borders seven states – Uttar Pradesh to the north, Madhya Prade ...
.


The temple

The ''Sannidhanam'' (main temple) is built on a plateau about 40 feet high. The temple was rebuilt after arson and vandalism in 1950. No charges were brought and the earlier stone image of the deity was replaced by a panchaloha (an alloy from five metals) idol, about 1 and half feet. The Panchaloha idol was crafted by Neelakanta Panicker and his younger brother Ayyappa Panicker, residents of Thattavila Vishwakarma family, Chengannur, Kerala, to replace the original stone figure of the deity. Edavankadan T.N. Padmanabhan Achari from Mavaelikkara was appointed the supervisor in charge of new idol by Maharaja Sree Chithira Tirunaal Balarama Varma.In the early 1950s, through
P. T. Rajan Sir Ponnambala Thiaga Rajan (22 April 1892 – 25 September 1974) was the Chief Minister of Madras Presidency from 4 April 1936, to 24 August 1936 (143 Days). He was also the last President of the Justice Party. P. T. Rajan was born in a Thondai ...
efforts, the present panchaloha idol of Lord Iyappan was installed at Sabarimalai and a procession was taken all over Madras state. The temple consists of a sanctum sanctorum with a gold-plated roof and four golden finials at the top, two ''mandapams'', the ''balikalpura'' which houses the altar. In 1969, the flag staff ('' dhwajam'') was installed. The shrine of Kannimoola ganapathi prathishta is south-west to The Sreekovil of the Sannidhanam. Devotees offer part of the broken coconut (Neythenga) to the fireplace (Azhi). Ganapathi homam is the main offering. The Pathinettu thripadikal or the 18 sacred steps is the main stairway to the temple. As per the custom followed, no pilgrim without "Irumudikkettu" can ascend the 18 sacred steps. In 1985, the 18 steps were covered by Panchaloha. The northern gate is open for those who do not carry an "Irumudikkettu", as observed in the Kerala High Court judgment of 1991.Kerala High Court (5 April 1991) Bench: K Paripoornan, K B Marar; Source

(accessed Sunday 1 May 2016)
The temples of Lord Ayyappan's trusted lieutenants Karuppu Sami and Kadutha Sami are positioned as his guards (kaval) at the foot of the holy 18 sacred steps. The temple of ''
Maalikapurathamma Maalikapurathamma ( ml, മാളികപ്പുറത്തമ്മ) is a goddess enshrined in a small temple at Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple. Maalikapurathamma Temple is visited after darshan of Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple. Malikapurathamma Te ...
'', whose importance is almost in par with Lord Ayyappa, is located few yards from Sannidhanam. It is believed that the Lord Ayyapan had specific instructions that he wanted ''Malikappurath Amma'', on his left side. Prior to the fire disaster, there was only a Peeda Prathishta (holy seat) at Malikappuram. The idol of ''Malikappurath Amma'' was installed by ''Brahmasree Kandararu Maheswararu Thanthri''. The Devi at Malikappuram holds a Sankh, Chakram and Varada Abhya Mudra. Now the idol is covered with a gold Golaka. The temple also was reconstructed in the last decade and now the conical roof and ''sopanam'' is covered with gold. It is believed that
Maalikapurathamma Maalikapurathamma ( ml, മാളികപ്പുറത്തമ്മ) is a goddess enshrined in a small temple at Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple. Maalikapurathamma Temple is visited after darshan of Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple. Malikapurathamma Te ...
worshipped is the daughter of Cheerappanchira panicker who taught
Kalaripayattu Kalaripayattu (; also known simply as Kalari) is an Indian martial art that originated in modern-day Kerala, a state on the southwestern coast of India. Kalaripayattu is known for its long-standing history within Indian martial arts, and is ...
to Lord Ayyappa. Cheerappanchira, which is situated about 100 km from Sabarimala holds many rights in Sabarimala, such as to conduct fireworks at Sabarimala, to light Nilavilak and ceremonial lamps at the shrine of Malikapurathamma at Sabarimala, collect half the coconuts given by devotees at Malikapurathamma shrine at Sabarimala.There is also a Mukkalvetti Ayyappa temple at Cheerappanchira which hold 3/4 power of Lord Ayyappa and rest in Sabarimala. The shrine of the Lord of snakes, Nagarajav is placed adjacent to the malikappuram temple. Pilgrims after the Darsan of Ayyappa and Kannimoola Ganapathi, make their darsan and give offerings to Nagarajav. ''Manimandapam'', is the place where Ayyappan Jeeva samadhi
rya kerala jeevasamadhi Rya or RYA may refer to: Biology * Rya sheep, breed of sheep native to Sweden * ''Rya'', a genus in subfamily Blennocampinae People * Rya Kihlstedt (born 1970), American actress * Rya W. Zobel (born 1931), judge of the United States District C ...
The Sabarimala temple complex include '' Pampa Ganapathi'' temple, '' Nilakal Mahadeva'' temple and '' Palliyara Bhagavathi'' temple. The Nilakal Mahadeva temple and Palliyara Bhagavathi temple is as old as the Shasta temple and the deities are worshiped as the parents of Lord Ayyappa. Ganapathi temple at Pampa has ''Pampa Maha Ganapathi'' and ''Athi Ganapathi'' (lit. old ganapathy) idols, in Sreekovil where the idol from the first Ganapathy temple is worshiped. ''Sabari Peedam'' has a temple of Rama and Hanuman also.


Worship


Mandala kaalam

The pilgrimage to Sabarimala starts from the first day of Vrischika month of Malayalam year (month of Scorpio) and ends on the 11th day of Dhanu month (the Month of Sagittarius). This season of 41-days pilgrimage is known as Mandala kalam (season) . The season is in the months of December and January.


Prasadam

The prasadam at Sabarimala temple is ''Aravana payasam'' and '' Appam''. These are prepared by using rice,
ghee Ghee is a type of clarified butter, originating from India. It is commonly used in India for cooking, as a traditional medicine, and for religious rituals. Description Ghee is typically prepared by simmering butter, which is churned from c ...
, sugar,
jaggery Jaggery is a traditional non-centrifugal cane sugar consumed in the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Africa. It is a concentrated product of cane juice and often date or palm sap without separation of the molasses and crystals, and can ...
etc. The rice needed to prepare the prasadam at Sabarimala temple is supplied by Chettikulangara Devi Temple, the second largest temple under the Travancore
Devaswom Board Devaswom ( sa, dēvasvaṁ; ) are socio-religious trusts in India, whose members are nominated by the government and community. They oversee Hindu temples and their assets to ensure their smooth operation in accordance with traditional rituals and ...
situated at Mavelikkara. The Chief Commissioner, Travancore Devaswom Board said that the board has appointed Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore as a consultant for providing technical guidance to ensure the quality of Aravana, Appam and other prasadam preparations at Sabarimala temple.


Harivarasanam

''
Harivarasanam Harivarasanam is a Sanskrit devotional ashtakam (eight stanzas) dedicated to Hindu deity Ayyappan at the Sabarimala, Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple, situated in the state of Kerala, India. The song is sung as a lullaby to the deity at the ...
'' is recited before closing the temple door every night. The Harivarasanam prayer, which is sung at Sabarimala is a Urakkupattu. It is composed by ''Kambangudi Kulathur Srinivasa Iyer'' in Sanskrit. It is said that Srinivasa Iyer used to recite the composition after the Athazha Puja, standing in front of the shrine of Ayyappa in the main temple. With the efforts of Swami Vimochanananda, it came to be accepted as the lullaby by the
Tantri Thantri or Tantri is the Vedic head who stand's in a top room in religion of Hindu. Thantri is person who set rule in temples, they are the authority in the temples of Kerala and temples in coastal Karnataka in southern India. It is a positio ...
and
Melshanthi Thantri or Tantri is the Vedic head who stand's in a top room in religion of Hindu. Thantri is person who set rule in temples, they are the authority in the temples of Kerala and temples in coastal Karnataka in southern India. It is a positio ...
. The composition has 352 letters, 108 words in 32 lines in 8 stanzas. Though there have been many versions of this song sung by many renowned vocalists, the temple plays the rendition by
K. J. Yesudas Kattassery Joseph Yesudas (born 10 January 1940) is an Indian playback singer and musician who sings Indian classical, devotional and film songs. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest singers in the history of Indian Music and also as a ...
, composed by the renowned music director
G. Devarajan Paravoor Govindan Devarajan (1927–2006), popularly known as G. Devarajan or Devarajan master, was an Indian music composer and Carnatic singer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers in the history of Indian film music. He sco ...
, which is in the ''Madhyamavathi raga'' of Indian Carnatic music.


Neyyabhishekam

This significant ritual involves pouring sacred
ghee Ghee is a type of clarified butter, originating from India. It is commonly used in India for cooking, as a traditional medicine, and for religious rituals. Description Ghee is typically prepared by simmering butter, which is churned from c ...
brought by pilgrims in their ''Pallikettu'' or ''Irumudi'' (a two compartment bag made of handwoven cotton cloth used to carry the offerings for Sabarimala Temple carried on their heads) on the idol of Lord Ayyappa. It symbolically means the merging of
Jeevatma ''Jiva'' ( sa, जीव, IAST: ) is a living being or any entity imbued with a life force in Hinduism and Jainism. The word itself originates from the Sanskrit verb-root ''jīv'', which translates as 'to breathe' or 'to live'. The ''jiva'', as ...
with the Paramatma. While a red-colored irumudi is used by a pilgrim on his first journey as a Kanni Ayyappan to Sabarimala, others use navy blue till third year and thereafter saffron colored irumudi.


Makara Vilakku

Lord Rama Rama (; ), Ram, Raman or Ramar, also known as Ramachandra (; , ), is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular ''avatars'' of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Being ...
and his brother Lakshmana met
Sabari ''Sabari'' is a 2007 Indian Tamil-language action film directed by Suresh. It stars Vijayakanth as the title character with Jyothirmayi, Malavika and Pradeep Rawat in supporting roles. The film was released on 16 March 2007 to mixed reviews. ...
, a tribal devotee, at Sabarimala. Sabari offered the Lord fruits after tasting them. But the Lord accepted them gladly and whole-heartedly. The Lord then saw a divine person doing
tapasya Tapas (Sanskrit: तपस्) is a variety of austere spiritual meditation practices in Indian religions. In Jainism, it means asceticism (austerities, body mortification); in Buddhism, it denotes spiritual practices including meditation and se ...
. He asked Sabari who it was. Sabari said it was Shasta. Rama walked towards him. Shasta stood up and welcomed the Prince of Ayodhya. The anniversary of this incident is celebrated on Makara Vilakku day. It is believed that on Makara Vilakku day, Lord Dharmashasta stops his
tapasya Tapas (Sanskrit: तपस्) is a variety of austere spiritual meditation practices in Indian religions. In Jainism, it means asceticism (austerities, body mortification); in Buddhism, it denotes spiritual practices including meditation and se ...
to bless his devotees. The day is also called
Makara Shankranthi ''Makara'' ( sa, मकर, translit=Makara) is a legendary sea-creature in Hindu mythology. In Hindu astrology, Makara is equivalent to the Zodiac sign Capricorn. Makara appears as the vahana (vehicle) of the river goddess Ganga, Narmada, a ...
.


Makarajyothi

This is the star that appear at the moment of Makarasankranthi before the holy arathi and the worship of Makaravilakk at Ponnambalamedu. It is the custom that after seeing Makarajyothi,the lighting of Makaravilakk shall begin.


Tattvamasi

The most important message written at the temple facade is one of the four
Mahāvākyas The Mahāvākyas (''sing.:'' mahāvākyam, महावाक्यम्; ''plural:'' mahāvākyāni, महावाक्यानि) are "The Great Sayings" of the Upanishads, as characterized by the Advaita school of Vedanta with mahā ...
of Advaita or the non-dualistic school of philosophy. Tat Tvam Asi, the 3rd of four Mahavakyas which in sanskrit translates to "Thou Art That" is the principal philosophy that governs the temple and pilgrimage. As the pilgrimage is symbolic for the journey to self-realization that all living beings possess the essence of Brahman, pilgrims refer to each other as Swami, acknowledging their divinity. The oneness of jIva and Ishvara is described by enquiry into the inner meaning of the statement ‘tat tvam asi’as follows: * "Tat" refers to Ishvara, the Lord - the word Ishvara has a literal and an implied meaning; * The literal meaning of ‘Ishvara’ is ‘satyam-brahman together with mithyA-mAyA’; * The implied meaning of Ishvara is pure brahman devoid of the superimposition of mAyA; * "Tvam" refers to the jIva, the individual; * The literal meaning of ‘jIva’ is ‘AtmA identified with mithyA gross and subtle bodies’; * The implied meaning is pure consciousness-AtmA without mithyA gross and subtle bodies; * In advaita AtmA and brahman are different names of the one Reality; * Thus, jIva and Ishvara are Absolutely non-different in reality, and only relatively different because of the superimposed names and forms through which the one Reality is experienced.


The history behind the worshipping methods

The customs of the pilgrims to Sabarimala are based on five worshipping methods; those of Shaivites, Shaktists and Vaishnavites. At first, there were three sections of devotees – the devotees of Shakti who used meet to worship their deity, the devotees of Vishnu who followed the strict penance and continence, and the devotees of Shiva who partly followed these two methods. Another name of Ayyappa is Shasta. All these can be seen merged into the beliefs of pilgrims to Sabarimala. The chain the pilgrims wear comes from the Rudraksha chain of the Shaivites. The strict fasting, penance and continence is taken out of the beliefs of the Vaishnavites. The offering of tobacco to Kaduthaswamy can be considered to be taken from the Shaktists.


Pilgrimage

The devotees are expected to follow a ''Vratham'' (41-day austerity period) prior to the pilgrimage.http://www.haindavakeralam.com/HKPage.aspx?PageID=12948&SKIN=D This begins with wearing of a special ''Mala'' (a chain made of Rudraksha or Tulasi beads is commonly used, though still other types of chains are available.). During the 41 days of Vratham, the devotee who has taken the vow, is required to strictly follow the rules that include follow only a lacto-vegetarian diet (In India, vegetarianism is synonymous with lacto-vegetarianism), follow
celibacy Celibacy (from Latin ''caelibatus'') is the state of voluntarily being unmarried, sexually abstinent, or both, usually for religious reasons. It is often in association with the role of a religious official or devotee. In its narrow sense, the ...
, follow teetotalism, not use any profanity and have to control the anger, allow the hair and nails to grow without cutting. They must try their maximum to help others, and see everything around them as lord Ayyappa. They are expected to bath twice in a day and visit the local temples regularly and only wear plain black or blue coloured traditional clothing. Many Hindu pilgrims also visit a mosque in Erumely dedicated to
Vavar Vavar (), known reverently as Vavarswami, is a legendary figure from Kerala. He is the celebrated Muslim acquaintance of Hindu deity Ayappan. There is a shrine dedicated to Vavaraswami at Sabarimala, as well as Vavaraswami's mosque at Erumely oppos ...
, a Muslim saint who according to tradition was devotee of Lord Ayyappan. Millions of devotees still follow the traditional mountainous forest path (approximately 61 km) from Erumely, 12.8 km from Vandiperiyar and 8 km from Chalakayam, believed to be taken by Ayyappa himself. The Erumely route starts from Erumely to Aludha river, then crosses the Aludha mountain to reach Karivilam thodu. Now comes the sacred Karimala crossing, from there to Cheriyanavattom, Valliyanavattom and finally Pamba River. Then they have to climb Neelimala and enter into the Ganesha-Bettam, Shreerama-Betta Padam. Then comes the
Aranmula kottaram Aranmula Kottaram or Aranmula Palace is an old palace at Aranmula, a historical and traditional village in Kerala, India. Aranmula Palace was built more than 200 years ago. This palace is known as Aranmula Vadakke Kottaram. Aranmula vadakke ko ...
, which is one of the stops of holy journey ''Thiruvabharana Ghoshayatra'' (the grand procession of the divine jewelry). These days people use vehicles to reach the Pamba River by an alternate route. From Pamba, all the pilgrims begin trekking the steep mountain path of Neeli Mala till Sabari Mala. This route is now highly developed, with emergency shops and medical aid by the sides, and supporting aid is provided to the pilgrims while climbing the steep slope, which used to be a mere trail through dense jungle. The elderly pilgrims are lifted by men on bamboo chairs till the top, on being paid.


Women

Temple management puts religious restriction against entry of women of age 10 to 50. This is based on tradition of the temple to respect the celibate nature of the deity, similar restrictions are present against entry of men in other Hindu temples such as the Pushkar Brahma Temple, and the Kamakhya Temple in Visakhapatnam. According to the ''Memoir of the Survey of the Travancore and Cochin States'', published in two volumes by the Madras government in the 19th century, women of menstruating age were denied entry into the Sabarimala temple two centuries ago. Though the authors, lieutenants of the
Madras Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
Infantry, completed the survey by the end of the year 1820 after nearly five years of research, it was published in two volumes only in 1893 and 1901. "Old women and young girls may approach the temple, but those who have attained the age of puberty and to a certain time of life are forbidden to approach as all sexual intercourse in that vicinity is averse to this deity (Lord Ayyappa)," the report said. Up to 1991, women visited the temple even though in small numbers. Women pilgrims below the age of 50 would visit the temple to conduct the first rice-feeding ceremony of their children ( Chorroonu) in the temple premises. In 1991, Justices K. Paripoornan and K. Balanarayana Marar of the
Kerala High Court The High Court of Kerala is the highest court in the Indian state of Kerala and the Union territory of Lakshadweep. It is located in Kochi. Drawing its powers under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, the High Court has the power to issu ...
, in their ruling against the Travancore Devaswom Board, restricted the entry of women between ages 10 and 50 from offering worship at the temple, stating that such a restriction was in accordance with the usage prevalent from time immemorial. In addition, the judges directed the Government of Kerala, to use the police force to ensure that restriction was complied with. High court also stated that "since there is no restriction between one section and another section or between one class and another class among the Hindus in the matter of entry to a temple (Sabarimala) whereas the prohibition is only in respect of women of a particular age group and not women as a class." On 28 September 2018, the
Supreme Court of India The Supreme Court of India ( IAST: ) is the supreme judicial authority of India and is the highest court of the Republic of India under the constitution. It is the most senior constitutional court, has the final decision in all legal matters ...
, in a 4-1 majority decision (4 men and 1 women judicial panel), overturned the ban on the entry of women. The Chief Justice,
Dipak Misra Justice Dipak Misra (born 3 October 1953) is an Indian jurist who served as the 45th Chief Justice of India from 28 August 2017 till 2 October 2018. He is also former Chief Justice of the Patna High Court and Delhi High Court. He is the nephe ...
, stated that the selective ban on women was not an "essential part" of Hinduism, and instead a form of "religious
patriarchy Patriarchy is a social system in which positions of dominance and privilege are primarily held by men. It is used, both as a technical anthropological term for families or clans controlled by the father or eldest male or group of males a ...
". Justice
Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud (born 11 November 1959) is an Indian judge who is appointed as the List of chief justices of India, 50th and current Chief Justice of India. He is a former chief justice of the Allahabad High Court and a former ju ...
stated that the ban "stigamatises" and "stereotypes" women, while "placing the burden of men's
celibacy Celibacy (from Latin ''caelibatus'') is the state of voluntarily being unmarried, sexually abstinent, or both, usually for religious reasons. It is often in association with the role of a religious official or devotee. In its narrow sense, the ...
" on them. The lone women judge,
Indu Malhotra Indu Malhotra is a retired judge and senior counsel of the Supreme Court of India. She was the second woman to be designated as Senior Advocate by the Supreme Court. She was the first woman advocate to be elevated as a judge of the Supreme C ...
noted in her dissenting judgement that "what constitutes an essential religious practice is for the religious community to decide" and not a matter that should be decided by the courts. She added that "notions of rationality cannot be invoked in matters of religion by courts". This led to protests at
Nilakkal Nilakkal (), also spelled Nilackal, or formerly Chayal, is a remote ghat region located in the Goodrical range of Ranni forest division in Pathanamthitta District in the Indian state of Kerala.Nearest Railway Station Is Thiruvalla,Located At A D ...
and Pamba base camps on 17 October 2018, when the temple was opened for the first time after the Supreme Court verdict. Protesters assaulted women journalists, stole their camera equipment, and damaged a vehicle. The police were also attacked. A number of women were among the protesters, checking cars to see if they contained women of menstruating age and helping with the road blocks. There were also reports of police damaging protesters' motor bikes. However Lord Ayyappa devotees in a large scale all over Kerala and also in other southern state of India namely Tamil Nadu, Andra pradesh and Karnataka, protested against entry of women in 10-50 age group in Sabarimala. large number of people participated in the protest mainly women devotees. On 26 December 2018 Devotees conducted 'Ayyappa Jyothi' lighting diya or lamp all across the state of Kerala, Karnataka covering a distance of about 765 km from 6 pm to 6-30 pm against young women's entry to temple. Thousands joined in the event. The protestors were physically attacked in Kannur and the state government filed cases against 1400 unidentified participants. Even other religious groups supported the cause of devotees. Prominent Jain Acharya Yugbhushan Suri Maharaj, also known as Pandit Maharaj, has said that sanctity was a religious issue and that it was connected to fundamental religious rights. Commenting on the Sabarimala temple row, Pandit Maharaj told IndiaToday.in, "Whether it is Sabarimala or Jharkhand's Shikharji, the agitations are for sanctity," adding, "Religion talks about inner belief and sanctity. This should be respected. I am not against the judiciary or the Supreme Court, but they should not overlook the belief of the people." Also, Art of Living founder Ravi Shankar batted for the rules that have been traditionally followed at the sanctum sanctorum of the Ayyappa Temple in Sabarimala. Two women of menstruating age attempted to enter the temple on 19 October 2018 but were blocked by protesters about 100 m away. After the
Thantri Thantri or Tantri is the Vedic head who stand's in a top room in religion of Hindu. Thantri is person who set rule in temples, they are the authority in the temples of Kerala and temples in coastal Karnataka in southern India. It is a positio ...
threatened to close the sanctum sanctorum if the women attempted to ascend the 18 sacred steps, they turned back. On 2 January 2019 at 3:45 AM, for the first time after the Supreme Court verdict, two women in their early 40s were escorted by police into the Sabarimala temple, allegedly through a back gate meant for staff. The Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, confirmed their entry. Thereafter, priests closed the temple for one hour to ritually purify it as the 41-days pilgrimage is known as Mandala kalam or the 41-day austerity period/Vratham had not been given a by-pass and the women entered the temple premises violating all those traditions too.


Administration

Administration and legal binding is managed by Travancore Devasvom Board, an affiliate authority of Government of Kerala.
Thazhamon Madom Thazhamon Madom is the family of the tantris of Sabarimala. The members of this madom are the head priests of Sabarimala temple for many years. This madom is in Mundencavu in Chengannur of central Kerala. The ''Padi Pooja'','' Udayasthamana Pooj ...
is the traditional priest family who has powers over the religious matters to be decided in Sabarimala Temple.
Tantri Thantri or Tantri is the Vedic head who stand's in a top room in religion of Hindu. Thantri is person who set rule in temples, they are the authority in the temples of Kerala and temples in coastal Karnataka in southern India. It is a positio ...
is the highest priest and is the head of the temple. It's the duty of the family to decide on religious matters relating to Sabarimala shrine. Tantris are to be present in all ceremonial Poojas and functions to be held at temple premises and functions associated with temple. The installation of idols of the temple was also done by Tantri of this family. Currently, Kandararu Rajeevararu and Kandararu Mahesh Mohanaru from
Thazhamon Madom Thazhamon Madom is the family of the tantris of Sabarimala. The members of this madom are the head priests of Sabarimala temple for many years. This madom is in Mundencavu in Chengannur of central Kerala. The ''Padi Pooja'','' Udayasthamana Pooj ...
are the ''thantris'' of Sabarimala, taking yearly turns and A K Sudheer Namboodiri is the elected ''melshanti'' of Sabarimala, from November 2019 to November 2020. Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has decided to allow more devotees daily to visit the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple as of 1 December 2020. The number of devotees has been increased from the present 1,000 to 2,000 on week days and from 2,000 to 3,000 on weekends and holidays. All necessary precautionary measures have been taken at the shrine premises and base camps adhering to COVID-19 guidelines.


Environmental efforts

The waste disposed by the devotees to Sabarimala is threatening the wildlife of the region and the evergreen forests. Efforts are on to make Sabarimala free from pollution and waste. High Court of Kerala has directed that 'Irumudikkettu' should not contain plastic materials. Projects like "Punyam Poonkavanam" has been initiated under the aegis of governmental departments.
Mata Amritanandamayi Math The Mata Amritanandamayi Math (MAM) is an international charitable organization aimed at the spiritual and material upliftment of humankind. It was founded by Indian people, Indian spiritual leader and humanitarian Mata Amritanandamayi in 1981, ...
has been regularly contributing to keep Sabarimala and its precincts clean. While cleaning Pamba river Sabarimala Sanndidhaanam clean is their primary objective, the broader vision is to spread the message of greenness and cleanliness beyond Sabarimala. Some of the salient aspects of "''Punyam Poonkavanam''" project includes: # Not using soap and oil while bathing in the holy Pamba River. No throwing any material, including clothes in the
holy river Sacred waters are sacred natural sites characterized by tangible topographical land formations such as rivers, lakes, springs, reservoirs, and oceans, as opposed to holy water which is water elevated with the sacramental blessing of a cleric. T ...
. # To prepare ''irumudikkettu'' without using any plastic and using only
bio-degradable Biodegradation is the breakdown of organic matter by microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi. It is generally assumed to be a natural process, which differentiates it from composting. Composting is a human-driven process in which biodegradati ...
materials. # To devote at least one hour in cleanliness activities at Sabarimala Sannidhaanam, River Pamba and surroundings as part of the pilgrimage.


Transport

The nearest airports are
Thiruvananthapuram International Airport Thiruvananthapuram International Airport , is an international airport which serves Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, India. Established in 1932, it is the first airport in the state of Kerala and fifth international airport of In ...
() and Cochin International Airport (). A heliport is situated in
Perunad Perunad (''Ranni-Perunad'') is a scenic hilly village in Pathanamthitta district, Kerala state, India.Nearest Railway Station Is Thiruvalla Located At A Distance Of 62 km. It's located on the banks of Pamba River and Kakkadu River. Perunad ...
about () from Pamba, which is also known as Sabarimala helipad. ( (), (), (), (), () and () are some of the closest accessible railway stations from Sabarimala. The main trunk road of about to Sabarimala is
Pathanamthitta Pathanamthitta (), is a municipality situated in the Central Travancore region in the state of Kerala, India, spread over an area of 23.50 km2. It is the administrative capital of Pathanamthitta district. The town has a population of 37 ...
-Pamba, which passes through, Mannarakulanji,
Vadasserikara Vadaserikara is a village in Pathanamthitta district, in the state of Kerala, India. It is one of the 11 villages in Ranni and sits at the confluence of the Pamba and Kallar River.Nearest Railway Station Is Thiruvalla,Located At A Distance Of ...
,
Perunad Perunad (''Ranni-Perunad'') is a scenic hilly village in Pathanamthitta district, Kerala state, India.Nearest Railway Station Is Thiruvalla Located At A Distance Of 62 km. It's located on the banks of Pamba River and Kakkadu River. Perunad ...
,
Lahai Lahai is a former village development committee in Jajarkot District in the Karnali Province of Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of Statis ...
&
Nilakkal Nilakkal (), also spelled Nilackal, or formerly Chayal, is a remote ghat region located in the Goodrical range of Ranni forest division in Pathanamthitta District in the Indian state of Kerala.Nearest Railway Station Is Thiruvalla,Located At A D ...
. Kerala State Road Transport Corporation operates regular daily bus services from Pandalam,
Pathanamthitta Pathanamthitta (), is a municipality situated in the Central Travancore region in the state of Kerala, India, spread over an area of 23.50 km2. It is the administrative capital of Pathanamthitta district. The town has a population of 37 ...
, Thiruvalla, Kottayam, Thiruvananthapuram,
Ernakulam Ernakulam () is the Central Business District of the city of Kochi in Kerala, India and has lent its name to the Ernakulam district. Many major establishments, including the Kerala High Court, the office of the Kochi Municipal Corporation a ...
and
Kumili Kumili is a historical village and panchayat in PusapatiregaKottayam railway station and
Chengannur railway station Chengannur railway station is an 'NSG 3 category' station located at Chengannur in the Indian state of Kerala. It is one of the busiest stations in the –––Ernakulam route, primarily due to the Sabarimala pilgrims. The station is managed b ...
.Buses Are Scheduled From Pathanamthitta KSRTC To Pampa.


See also

*
Pettathullal Pettathulal, also known as Petta Kettu, is a historic ritualistic dance held annually on the 27th of Dhanu at Erumely, in the district of Kottayam, in the Indian state of Kerala. It is performed during the Mandalam - Makaravilakku period (November ...
*
Entry of women to Sabarimala Sabarimala is a temple dedicated to Shasta in Pathanamthitta District, Kerala, India. Women and girls of reproductive age were traditionally not permitted to worship there, as Shasta is a celibate deity. A Kerala high court provided a legal just ...
*
Ready To Wait campaign The Ready To Wait campaign is a social movement initiated in September 2016 by a group of female devotees of Hindu deity Ayyappan, as a response to a petition filed in the Supreme Court by women's groups to demand the right to enter the Sabarimal ...
*
Sabarimala Trek The Sabarimala Temple (; ml, ശബരിമല ക്ഷേത്രം) is a temple complex located at Sabarimala hill inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve in the Perinad Village, Pathanamthitta district, Kerala, India. It is one of the largest ...
*
Vavar Vavar (), known reverently as Vavarswami, is a legendary figure from Kerala. He is the celebrated Muslim acquaintance of Hindu deity Ayappan. There is a shrine dedicated to Vavaraswami at Sabarimala, as well as Vavaraswami's mosque at Erumely oppos ...


References


External links


Official Website Of Sabarimala
{{Authority control Hindu temples in Pathanamthitta district Hindu pilgrimage sites in India Hindu holy cities Pamba River Vegetarian towns in India