Sabarimala Temple History Malayalam
Elnora Heidrick
The Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple[1] (.mw-parser-output .IPA-label-smallfont-size:85%.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-smallfont-size:100%Malayalam pronunciation: [ʃabəɾimala]) is a Hindu temple that is devoted to the worship of a deity named Ayyappan, also known as Dharma Shasta. Ayyappan is believed to be the son of Shiva and Mohini (Female avatar of Lord Vishnu).[2] The temple is situated atop a hill in the village of Ranni-Perunad, within the Ranni Taluk of the Pathanamthitta district in the state of Kerala, India. The temple is surrounded by 18 hills in the Periyar Tiger Reserve.[3] 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.[4][5][6][7]
The temple is open for worship only during the days of Mandala Pooja (approximately 15 November to 26 December),[8] Makaravilakku or "Makara Sankranti" (14 January), and Maha Thirumal Sankranti (14 April), and the first five days of each Malayalam month. The Sabarimala pilgrimage includes a unique tradition of offering prayer at the mosque of Vavar, a Muslim devotee of Ayappan.[9] The Sabarimala Temple serves as a prime example of the amalgamation of several religious traditions within the Indian context.[10]
In the year 1991, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was initiated, leading to the Kerala High Court issuing a directive to the Devaswom Board to uphold the traditional practises of the temple. These practises encompassed the prohibition of women of a certain age group, rather than a blanket exclusion of women, from accessing the temple premises.
On September 28, 2018, the Supreme Court of India rendered a decision, wherein a panel consisting of four male justices and one female judge voted by a majority of 4-1 to invalidate the prohibition on female entry inside the temple, where the female judge, Justice Indu Malhotra, voted in favor of the prohibition.
According to the Bhagavatam, Shiva fell in love with Vishnu while he was in Mohini form. Their connection resulted in the conception of Shasta. As the other name for Shiva is Hara and that of Vishnu is Hari, the child born was also known as Hariharaputra.[11] It is believed that Ayyappa is an avatar of Shasta.[12]
Five Shasta temples are said to be linked to Parashurama, an incarnation of Vishnu. Sastha temples in Kulathupuzha, Aryankavu, Achankovil, Sabarimala, and Ponnambalmedu are among the five Shasta temples.[15]
Folklore says that the temple in Kulathupuzha is related to the deity's childhood years, where he was enshrined as a child. The Aryankavu temple is related to the deity's adolescence, the Brahmachari state. The Achankovil temple is connected to the deity's Grahastha years, where he is shown sitting on a horse and holding a sword, along with his wives, Pushkala and Poorna. The Sabarimala temple is associated with the deity's Vanaprastha years, and in the Ponnambalmedu or Kantamala temple, the deity is shown as the greatest Yogi.[15][16]
Sage Suta told his followers the story of how Ayyappa was born, according to Bhutnathopakhyanam, a text for Ayyappan followers. After Chamundi killed Mahisasura, his sister Mahisi arrived to take revenge on the devas (gods). Brahma gave Mahishi a boon that made her invincible, and only a human born of two males could kill her. The devas were afraid and helpless, so they sought assistance from Vishnu. The union of Shiva and Vishnu, who took the avatar of Mohini, produced a son named Manikandan.
Manikandan was abandoned on the banks of the Pampa River in southern India. The emperor Rajasekhara of the Panthalam dynasty, who didn't have any children, found this child. In the meantime, the queen delivered a baby. The queen disliked Manikandan and devised a scheme to eliminate him. She lied about her sickness, claiming that she could only be treated by consuming tiger's milk. Twelve-year-old Manikandan ventured into the wilderness in search of tiger's milk for her mother. On his journey through the forest, he destroyed Mahisi. The devas were pleased at Mahishi's death. Indra assumed the appearance of a tiger, which Manikandan used to return to the kingdom. He flung an arrow into the forest to mark the location of a temple, directed them to construct a temple, and then departed for Devaloka (the devas' abode).[17]
As per legend, Sabari met Sage Matanga near the foot of Mount Rishyamukha. He became her guru, and she devotedly served him for years. When Matanga was on his deathbed, he foretold that Rama would come to grant her darshan. He told her to wait for the arrival of Rama. Since that time, Sabari has only left her ashram each day to gather berries for Rama. She would pick one, taste it, and place it in her basket if it was sweet, discarding the bitter berries because she wanted Rama to have only the sweet berries. While in his search for Sita, Rama visits the Sabari at her ashram. Sabari fed Rama with the berries that she had collected.[19]
As per history and records found at the pandalam palace, Malikkapurthamma holds the position of Lord Ayyappa's mother and she is considered to be a form of Madurai Meenakshi amman, who also happens to be the family deity of the Pandalam Palace. Since Ayyappa spent his childhood at the Pandalam palace, Malikkapurthamma indeed showers her motherly affection not only on Ayyappa but also his devotees.
The Pandalam royal family drafted a mortgage document in 1793. It states that the royal family is pledging the revenue returns, which encompass the income generated by the Sabarimala Temple, to the Tranvancore state.[23]
In the year 1902, the ruler of Travancore issued a directive for the restoration of the Sabarimala temple, which had suffered damage as a result of a fire incident. Kochu Thomman, a Mavelikkara resident of Christian faith, funded and carried out the reconstruction contract.[25]
In the year 1950, the temple was rebuilt after an arson attack.[26] No charges were brought,[27] and the earlier stone image of the deity was replaced by a panchaloha (an alloy of five metals) idol, about one and a half feet tall. Neelakanta Panicker and his younger brother, Ayyappa Panicker, who are members of the Thattavila Vishwakarma family in Chengannur, Kerala, created the Panchaloha idol to replace the original stone statue of the deity. Edavankadan T.N. Padmanabhan Achari from Mavaelikkara was appointed the supervisor in charge of the new idol by Maharaja Sree Chithira Tirunaal Balarama Varma.[28] In the early 1950s, through P. T. Rajan efforts, the present panchaloha idol of Ayyappan was installed at Sabarimalai, and a procession was taken all over Madras state.[29][30]
The temple consists of a sanctum sanctorum with a gold-plated roof and four golden finials at the top, two mandapams, and the balikalpura, which houses the altar.[34] In 1969, the flagstaff (dhwajastambha) was installed.[35]
The 18 sacred steps are 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 1991 Kerala High Court judgement.[36]
The temple of Maalikapurathamma, whose importance is almost on par with that of Ayyappan, is located a few yards from Sannidhanam. It is believed that Ayyappan 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. Brahmasree Kandararu Maheswararu Thanthri installed the idol of Malikappurath Amma. Maalikapurathamma holds a Sankh, Chakram and Varada Abhya Mudra. Now the idol is covered with a gold golaka. The temple was also reconstructed in the last decade, and now the conical roof and sopanam are covered with gold.[37]
The shrine of the king of the snakes, Nagaraja, is placed adjacent to the Malikappurathamma temple. Pilgrims, after the Darsan of Ayyappa and Kannimoola Ganapathi, make their darshan and give offerings to Nagaraja.
The Sabarimala temple complex includes Pampa Ganapathi temple, Nilakal Mahadeva temple, and Palliyarakkavu Devi Temple temple. The Nilakal Mahadeva temple and Palliyarakkavu Devi Temple temple are as old as the Ayyappan temple, and the deities are worshipped as the parents of Ayyappan. Ganapathi temple at Pampa has Pampa Maha Ganapathi and Athi Ganapathi (lit. old Ganesha) idols; in Sreekovil, the idol from the first Ganesha temple is worshipped. Sabari Peedam has a temple for Rama and Hanuman as well.[citation needed]
The prasadam at Sabarimala temple are Aravana payasam and Appam. An 'Appam' is a sweet ball composed of rice, kadalippazham, and ghee, whereas 'Arvana' refers to a dense and sweet dessert.[38] The Chief Commissioner, Travancore Devaswom Board, said that the board has been appointed by the 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.[39]
Vadakkathillathu Eswaran Namoothiri, who held the position of melsanthi, a chief priest, started the tradition of singing keerthan in the year 1950. Following the Athazhapooja, he performed the recitation of Harivarasanam. Harivarasanam is a Sanskrit Urakkupattu, a lullaby. The recitation takes place nightly before the closure of the temple entrance. The keerthan can be found in the Sasthasthuti kadambam, a publication authored by Kambankudi Sundaram Kulathu Ayyer. The song depicts Ayappa as Hariharaputhra, a deity revered in the Vedas.[40]
This significant ritual involves pouring sacred ghee 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 Ayyappan. It symbolically means the merging of Jeevatma with the Paramatma.
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