The 41-day Pilgrimage to Sabarimala: A Journey Within

They say, "You don't choose to go to Sabarimala; Swamy chooses when to call you." The journey to meet Ayyappa Swamy didn't begin directly by scaling the 18 holy steps (Pathinettam Padi), which lead directly to the shrine. This journey begins forty-one days earlier with a vow or Vratham, when an Ayyappa devotee puts on the black mala and commits to a life of austerity, discipline, and devotion. Whether you are a first-time pilgrim or a seasoned devotee, here is what you need to know about the Sabarimala.

Main highlights of the blog:

1. What is Sabarimala?
2. Who is Ayyappan Swamy?
3. What is the Birth Mission of Ayyappa Swamy?
4. Why are Ayyappa Swamy's legs tied?
5. What is the Legend of Ayyappa Swamy?
6. How did Ayyappa Swamy Defeat Mahishi?
7. Why did Ayyappa Swamy choose Sabari Hill?
8. Why is Makara Sankranti the only day you can see Lord Ayyappa as a King?
9. What is the Legend of the Malikapurath-amma Shrine?
10. What is the 41-day Mandala Ritual of Ayyappa Swamy?

1. What is Sabarimala?

The Sabarimala Sannidhanam is a temple complex located on Sabarimala Hill, in the Pathanamthitta district, inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve in Kerala. It is one of the largest annual pilgrimage sites in the world, with an estimated 40 to 50 million (4 to 5 Crores) devotees visiting every year. The temple is dedicated to the deity Ayyappan Swamy.

The sacred gates of Sabarimala open for the main 41-day Mandala pooja (mid-November to late December), Makara Sankranti festival, the first 5 days of every Malayalam month, and special festivals like Vishu (April), Onam (September), and Utsavam (March-April). It remains closed for the rest of the time to preserve the powerful spiritual energy of Swamy Ayyappa's lifelong vow to celibacy.

2. Who is Ayyappan Swamy?

(Ayyappa Swamy sitting in a yogic posture)

Ayyappa, also known as "Dharma Sastha", "Hariharan Puthiran", "Hariharputhra" or "Hariharasuta," is the son of Lord Shiv (Hara) and Lord Vishnu (Hari) in his Mohini avatar, as mentioned in the Brahmand Purana. He combines the energy of Daya (compassion) of Sri Hari and the Jnana (wisdom) of Lord Shiv. He represents the balance between masculine and feminine principles, symbolising creation and destruction; wisdom and power. Lord Ayyappa also symbolises the divine unity of Vaishnavism and Shaivism.

He is also known as Bhoothanathan, the guardian or master of Bhootas (spirits) and the Panch-maha-bhootas (five elements).

Lord Ayyappa is a Naishthika-brahmachari or a perpetual celibate. Therefore, women of reproductive age are traditionally not allowed entry into the temple. Every year, lakhs of women outside this age group trek to Sabarimala and receive darshan.

3. Why are Ayyappa Swamy's legs tied?

Lord Ayyappa's unique sitting posture stands as proof of his Tapobhav. He is sitting in Yogapadasana or Yogarudha Siddhasana, where his legs are tied with a yoga pattam (golden belt or cloth) to maintain his yogic meditation posture, implying a yogi in deep meditation sits so still that they stay locked in place without moving. The posture, therefore, symbolises being awake and mindful, leading to a state of 'Sat-Chit-Anand'. It signifies detachment rather than physical flexibility.

4. What is the Birth Mission of Ayyappa Swamy?

The main reason for Ayyappa Swamy's incarnation was the need for a Hariharaputra—a son born of both Lord Shiva and Sri Vishnu to defeat the demoness Mahishi, the sister of Mahishasur, whom Ma Durga killed. Mahishi had received a boon, making it impossible for anyone to defeat her except a child born from the union of these two powerful gods.

He restores Dharma by protecting and guiding those seeking to live a life rooted in righteousness. Ayyappa appeared on earth to teach righteousness, celibacy, and unity across castes, as seen in his bond with Vavar Swamy and in Sabarimala's pilgrimage, which is open to all. Local legends note that Vavar Swamy was a devoted muslim companion of Lord Ayyappa and a warrior. Pilgrims on the route to Sabarimala offer prayers at the Vavar Mosque, a symbol of communal harmony.

5. What is the Legend of Ayyappa Swamy?

The Brahmand Puran, in its Kerala Mahatmyam, mentions how Ayyappa Swamy was born as Hariharaputra from the union of Bhagwan Shiv and Mohini to fulfil the celestial mission of defeating the demoness Mahishi.

The story transitions from the heavens to earth through the King Rajasekara of the Kingdom of Pandalam (situated in present-day Pandalam, Kerala), praying to Lord Shiv for a child. He answered the prayer by ordering Dharmasastha (the teacher of Dharma) to take the avatar of Ayyappan.

On the auspicious full moon of Panguni Uthiram (Chaitra Purnima), the deity incarnated as a beautiful infant near the banks of the Pamba River. While returning from a hunt, King Rajasekara discovered the divine child. At that moment, a yogi appeared and advised the King to adopt him, revealing that the baby was a noble Kshatriya and was destined to end all suffering. Since the child had a gold bell around his neck, his name would be Manikandan. He then foretold that when the boy reached twelve years of age, the King would know the child's divine history.

6. How did Ayyappa Swamy Defeat Mahishi?

(Swamy Ayyappa kills demoness Mahishi, who turned into a beautiful goddess Malikapurathamma)

The moment for Ayyappa Swamy to fulfil his divine destiny arrived when the King decided to crown him as the next ruler, and his jealous minister plotted by suggesting to the Queen that her own son, born after the King found Manikandan, should become the next ruler. The misguided Queen faked a serious illness, claiming the only cure was the milk of a tigress. The minister knew Manikandan would offer to go, and he secretly hoped that Manikandan would either be killed by wild animals or fail in his mission.

The Bhutanath-Upakhyanam, a part of the Brahmand Puran, mentions that Manikandan, on this way, came to know of the cruelty of Mahishi, who was terrorising the gods in the Deva-lok. He encountered Mahishi and fought with her, threw her to the earth, and stepped upon her to perform a powerful dance of victory. Realising his divine identity, she prostrated before Manikandan and died. Thus, the evil forces threatening the cosmic balance in the Kali Yug were eliminated, and Dharma was restored.

After defeating Mahishi, Manikandan, following Lord Shiva's advice to comfort the King, returned to the palace by bringing the requested tigress' milk. Just then, the same Yogi appeared, revealing the identity of Ayappan Swamy, as he turned twelve that day.

7. Why did Ayyappa Swamy choose Sabari Hill?

Having fulfilled his earthly and divine duties, Ayyappa Swamy informed the King about his departure to Dev-loka. The King wished to build a temple in his honour and asked Ayappa to suggest the perfect place for it. Ayyappa Swamy shot an arrow, which fell on the mount of Sabari, the place where, in the Treta Yug, a Sanyasini named Maa Sabari did tapasya for her Isht-dev Sri Ram. As Sabari lived in this hilly forest, it is called Sabarimalai (the hill of Sabari).

Lord Manikandan told the King to renovate the existing Dharm Sastha temple in that place, built by Sage Parasuram, an avatar of Sri Vishnu. Manikandan then reached the Dharm Sastha temple and merged with the murti of Dharm Sastha.

Later, on Sage Agasthya's advice, King Rajashekhara laid the foundation of the Shree Dharma Sastha Temple in Sabarimala.

Local folk stories note that Dharmasastha sent Lord Parasuram to Sabarimala, who carved the figure of Lord Ayyappan, and installed it on the day of Makar Sankranti.

8. Why is Makara Sankranti the only day you can see Lord Ayyappa as a King?

Every year on Makar Sankranti, Ayyappa Swamy appears in the full glory of a King to fulfil a divine promise he made to King Rajasekara, who was saddened to see his beloved son leave the throne to become a Sanyasi (ascetic). On the same day, as the sun sets, Lord Ayappa manifests as the Makara Jyoti, a celestial light that appears briefly on the distant horizon. Lakhs of devotees excitedly witness this rare event every year, chanting "Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa".

9. What is the Legend of the Malikapurath-amma Shrine?

Malikapurath-amma is worshipped as Bhagavathi (Goddess) at Sabarimala. Local legends also associate her with Meenakshi Amman of Madurai.

As per Bhootnath-upakhyanam, in her previous life, Mahishi was Leela, the wife of Sage Dattatreya. He cursed her to be reborn as a Mahishi (a female water buffalo). Lord Ayyappa freed her from this curse, and she got transformed into a beautiful goddess, Malikapurath-amma.

She wished to marry Ayyappa, who declined because he vowed eternal celibacy, but said he would marry her in the year when no Kanni Ayyappan (a first-time pilgrim) visits Sabarimala. Therefore, located on the right side of the Sabrimala temple is the Malikapurath-amma shrine, where the goddess eternally waits for the year when no new pilgrims arrive.

Every year, thousands of new devotees visit Sabarimala for the first time and, as a part of their ritual, stick a wooden arrow at a spot called Saramkuthi. During the festival season, the goddess is carried in a grand procession to Saramkuthi to see if the tree is bare. But every year, she finds the area covered in new arrows. Seeing this proof that new devotees are still seeking Ayyappa, she returns to her shrine to continue her "eternal wait" for another year.

10. What is the 41-Day Mandala Ritual of Ayyappa Swamy?

(Devotees observing 41-day vratam, carry Irumudi on their way to Sabarimala)

To earn the divine darshan of the Lord on the day of Makar Sankranti, every devotee must first undergo a rigorous 41-day Vratham. During this time, the devotee leads a simple, pious life like a sannyasi, practising strict discipline, Brahmacharya, wearing black clothes, and walking barefoot to detach from ego and worldly comforts.

The 41-day journey towards the divine begins with Malayidal (Maala Dharanam), the wearing of the sacred beads with a locket of Lord Ayyappa, which transforms the seeker into a 'Swamy' or 'Ayyappa', the God himself.

Before setting out, the devotee prepares Irumudi, a twin-compartment bag to be carried on his head throughout the journey. The front portion holds the Ghee-filled 3-eyed coconut for Abhishekam to the Lord, while the back portion contains the essentials for the trek, symbolising the surrender of the ego. The 3 eyes symbolise the three aspects of the divine: the past, present, and future, and represent the all-seeing nature of Lord Ayyappa.

The back portion would be empty as devotees reach Sannidhanam, while the coconut is offered to the Lord. This ritual signifies that we can reach the Lord only when we remove all our sins and worldly pleasures.

The draining of water from the coconut signifies the draining of worldly attachments from the mind. It is then filled with Ghee, which represents the pure jeevatma, going to meet Paramatma in the form of Ayyappa Swamy.

On their way to Sabarimala, the devotees perform the ritualistic dance Petta Thullal and, as an act to purify their souls, take a holy dip in the Pampa river, while chanting 'Swami Saranam Ayyappa', meaning "O Lord Ayyappa, I take refuge in you", symbolising the total surrender of the ego.

(The Pathinettam Padi - 18 holy steps leading to Ayyappa Swamy Shrine)

This devotion reaches its peak at the Pathinettam Padi, the 18 sacred steps to reach the sanctum. The devotees break the coconut filled with ghee in front of these 18 steps before stepping up. Only those who have followed the rules of abstinence and carried the irumudi are eligible to touch or step on the holy steps.

These steps denote the 18 puranas, the 18 weapons of Lord Ayyappa, the 18 stages of human consciousness, or the 18 hills that surround the Sabarimala temple. They stand for 5 Indriyas (Panch-indriyas), 8 Ragas, 3 Gunas, Vidya, and Avidya. It implies that the one who ascends beyond these 18 stages can reach the supreme.

The act of merging the individual soul with the Supreme Being (Paramatma) is done through the Neyyabhishekam, where the devotees break the coconut. The ghee, representing the devotee's soul (Jeevatma), is carefully collected and handed to the temple priests, who pour it directly over the idol of Lord Ayyappa, symbolising the merging of the individual soul with the Supreme Being (Paramatma). A portion of the sanctified ghee is given to the devotee as sacred prasadam.

(The Garbhagriha of the shrine where the ultimate realisation "Tat Tvam Asi" is inscribed)

As the empty coconut shells, now representing the lifeless body, are thrown into a large, constantly burning fireplace, the spiritual realisation begins. Standing before the garbha-griha, the devotees see the words "Tat Tvam Asi" inscribed above it. This final revelation teaches that the 41-day Vratam through forests and up the 18 steps was not a journey to find an external god, but to discover the divinity already residing within. In this moment, the devotee and the divine become one, realising the ultimate truth: "You are that" or "Tat Tvam Asi".