Several years after the king adopts Ayyappan as his son, the Queen gives birth to a baby boy. Due to the fact that both children are male, tension builds within the family. So Ayappan is forced to leave his family and asked his father to grant him a piece of land for himself so that he can go away and live in peace. The father grants his wish telling him to choose a piece of land. Ayyappan goes into the forest and decides to shoot off an arrow. Wherever the arrow lands is where he will build himself a place to stay. The name of his dwelling is known as Sabarimala and a temple is built there by Parasuma.On the final day of the pilgrimage elephants carrying idols of Lord Ayyappan make their way from the Sabarimala temple down to the Pamba River. The elephants are beautifully decorated with umbrellas;chatri beads and flower wreathes; phool mala and carrying eleborately decorated idols of Lord Ayyappan.
Sabarimala is located at 010 degrees/115 Kms. Similarly, from the international airport at Kochi (erstwhile Cochin) it is located at 118 degrees/106 Kms. These distances are `direct air distances or distances `as the crow flies'.The pilgrimage to Sabarimala is a singular example of a pilgrimage 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 a the Holy Sannidhanam.
Kerala is a land of temples; perhaps the best known pilgrimage destination in Kerala is Sabarimala, high up in the Sahyadri Mountains(western ghats). Sabarimala Sri Dharmasastha Temple is the most famous and prominent among all the Sastha Temples. It is believed that "Parasurama Maharshi" who retrieved Kerala from the sea by throwing his axe, installed the idol of Ayyappa at Sabarimala to worship Lord Ayyappa.
The pilgrimage begins in the month of November and ends in January. The temple attracts pilgrims not only from the southern states of India, but also from other parts of the country and abroad.
The shrine gets thronged with devotees especially during the main pilgrim season from November to January.Mandalapooja(Nov.15th)and Makaravilakku(Jan.14th)are the two main events of the pilgrim season. The temple stays closed during the rest of the year except for the first five days of every Malayalam month and during Vishu (April). Certain customs are to be strictly observed if one has to undertake a pilgrimage to Sabarimala. A pilgrim attending the Mandalapooja should observe austerities for 41 days. During this period, the pilgrim should abstain himself from non- vegetarian habits and cardinal pleasures.
Pilgrims set out in groups under a leader, and each carry a cloth bundle called Irumudi kettu containing traditional offerings. Unlike certain Hindu temples, Sabarimala temple has no restrictions of caste or creed. The temple is open to males of all age groups and to women who have either passed their fertility age and those before reaching the stage of puberty.
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