Sabarimala Temple, the largest pilgrim centre in South India, is situated at a height of 914 m above the sea level on the Sabari hills of Western Ghats. Sabarimala is surrounded by 18 hills belonging to the Periyar Tiger Reserve, in Pathanamthitta district, Kerala. The temple dedicated to Lord Ayyappa attracts millions of devotees every year. Ardent worshippers fondly refer to the deity as swamy ayyappan.
Sabarimala temple can only be reached via foot. From the Pampa river, the devotees have to walk for about 4 km to reach the top of the mountain upon which the temple resides. The path to the temple is within deep dense forests. The annual pilgrim season at Sabarimala temple begins in November and ends by the end of January. Mandalapooja and Makaravilakku are the two major festivals during the pilgrim season. Apart from these three months, Sabarimala temple is closed for the rest of the year excluding the first five days of every Malayalam month and the day of Vishu celebrations.
All males and females not on their fertility age are allowed to enter Sabarimala temple after 41 days of austerities, during which the devotee must abstain from non-vegetarian food items and carnal pleasures. The journey takes place as a bunch of people with one person taking the role of Guru Swamy leads the others to the hill shrine. Every one of the pilgrims must carry their offerings in a small piece of cloth, tied as a bundle known as “irumudi kettu”.
It is not like you simply reach the base of the mountain and start climbing the hills, there are rituals to be done prior. Pilgrims upon reaching Pamba have to offer prayers at the Ganapathi temple and take a bath in the holy waters of River Pampa before climbing the Neelimala hills that lead to the temple. The trek is made energetic with continuous chanting of prayers and songs of Lord Ayyappa. On the way to Sabarimala temple, pilgrims come across Appachi Medu, Sabari Peetam and Saramkuthi. Saram in Malayalam means “arrow” and Kuthi means “pierced”. It is the place where the pilgrim coming to this holy place for the first time, Kanni Ayyappan, leaves the wooden arrows he picked from Erumeli.
A 15-minute walk from Saramkuthi, one reaches the Pathinettampadi, the 18 holy steps covered in gold offering the most astonishing views to the mesmerized devotees. Upon climbing the holy steps one reaches the sanctum sanctorum of Sabarimala temple, places the offering before Lord Ayyappa, seeks his blessings and moves along. Millions of devotees are flooding to this holy shrine in Pathanamthitta each and every year to seek the blessings of Lord Ayyappan.
Contact Details
SABARIMALA TEMPLE
SANNIDHANAM
PATHANAMTHITTA
KERALA
