Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa Ayyappan is one of the Hindu God. Ayyappan is mostly worshipped in Srilanka, Kerala & Tamil Nadu. Sabarimala is the Hindu pilgrimage. The main worship of Ayyappan Occurs in Sabarimala. Ayyanar is one of the incarnation Avatar of Ayyappan. Sabarimala is located in the western ghat mountains in Pattanthitha district of Kerala. It is one of the Hindu pilgrimage centre. Swami Ayyappan killed a monster named Mahishi. After that, he done meditation in Sabarimala.
Lord Ayyappan Temple is located in between 18 mountains and It is present in the top of a mountain. When compared with the average sea level, it is found at an altitude of 914 meters. It is surrounded by mountains and forests. The surrounded mountains having each one- one temple. Yearly 45-50 million devotees coming to Sabarimala. All around the world, it is a shrine which people is highly visited. Every devotee of Sabarimala are not consider any caste, religion, race, status or social status in their mind.
However,women aged of 10-50 are not allowed to enter into the temple. Women are not allowed because of some Historical tales of menstrual cycle. The main reason for not allowing women to this temple is as Ayyappan is a bachelor. The regional prayers are done in the first five days of every malayalam month and the temple is open for this prayers.
Manikandan
Boothanathan
Boologanathan
Hariharan
Veeramani
Karunasagar
Dharmasastha
Erumelivasan
Hariharasuthan
Kaliyugavarathan
Pambavasan
Sabari
Sabarish
Sabari krish
Rajasekaran
These are the other names of Swami Ayyappan.
PILGRIMAGE:
The Devotees should accept some penance during 41 days of the pilgrimage. The first day, they used to wear Thulasi Mala or Rudhraksha Mala in the neck. From that day, the devotee start their penance and so they wont eat meat, fish, alcohol, tobacco and avoid sexual contact with women and avoiding foul words and they wont remove their hair and moustache. The devotees must follow these rules for their pilgrimage. Every day they should visit local temple to do prayer and they must wear only traditional clothes which is having black, blue or saffron colours only.
The first part of this journey starting from Erumely to Aludha river. After crossing Alutha mountain, to reach Karivilam thodu. Now crosses the sacred Karimala and then crosses the Cheriyanavattam and Valliyanavattam and finally reach Pamba river. The pilgrims who follow the Thiruvabharana kosha Pilgrimage must stay in the place of Aaranmula Kettaram. Alternatively many pilgrims use vehicles to reach Pamba river. Finally all the pilgrims have to cross the mountainous forest trekking path of 4 km to reach Sabarimala. This pathway is now developed with shops and medical facilities by the sides. The pilgrims who came from long distance to get Darshan of Ayyappa, Online facility is arranged by Kerala Police. So the pilgrims will book earlier to get darshan.
HARIVARASANAM &NEYYABHISHEGAM:In the night, before crosing the temple, Harivarasanam song is played. It is a lullaby song which is played for Lord Ayyappa in Sabarimala before god is going to sleep. Sri Kambakudi kulathur Srinivas Iyer is composed this lullaby song. He sang this song in front of Lord Ayyappa after Attala pooja done. With the efforts of Swami Vimochanananda, it can be accepted as lullaby by Thantri and Mershanthi. This song is composed of 352 characters, 108 words and 32 lines. Although many versions of this song sung by famous singers, the temple only plays this song which is sung by Yesudoss.
Sabarimala offers the prasadam of Appam and Aravana Payasam. The prasadam is prepared by using rice, ghee and sugar. The rice which is used for the prasadam is supplied from Chettikulangarai Devi temple. This temple is the second largest temple under the Travancore Devasvam situated in Mavelikara.The main ritual was practiced in the temple,(ie) Devotees carry ghee on their heads or irumuti or pallikattu ( a bag which is made up of cotton cloth used to bear the offerings for Sabarimala temple).
The Sacred idol is to pour the ghee on Mula Vikragham of Swami Ayyappa and it is Neyyabhishegam. This concept refers to a sacred merging of Jeevatma with Paramatma. A saffron colour Irumuti is used by the pilgrims on his first journey and the others use black or blue colour irumuti.
The pilgrimage to the temple, the devotees will get unparalled knowledge and understanding, in sanskrit, Tat Tvam Asi means "That is you" ( Every individual is a god ) So the pilgrims call another pilgrims as "Swami".
