Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa ! Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa ! The loud chants break the ear-piercing silence of the forests. The fervor and the zeal is unbeatable. Absolutely consuming. The pilgrims are so involved in their communion with the God that all the hardship, the exhaustion of the long journey and the trek doesn’t register. All that matters is beyond the realm of the matter…

The Hindu god Ayyappan is one of southern India’s most revered deities. He is worshipped in a number of shrines across south India and in various stages of his life…. as a child, in conjunction with his consorts, at Sabarimala as an ascetic, a celibate meditating in solitude for the benefit of all mankind. Pilgrims trek through the steep hill track in the dense forest only to attain the Sabarimala experience.

Like many religious stories, this one too has no historic account. The believer too doesn’t really care about any proof or factual data. The faith is so strong and the devotee so possessed that the realm between the real and the mythological fuses to become an impregnable entity.

Lord Ayyappa isn’t part of the traditional Hindu pantheon. Instead, He is said to be the son of Lord Shiva and Vishnu. The myth goes that Lord Vishnu assumed the form of an attractive woman, Mohini, to deal with the asuras (demons) when they stole the ‘Amrit’ on completion of the churning of the ocean of milk. But, after Mohini successfully brought back the ‘Amrit’, Lord Shiva fell in love with her and Lord Ayyappa was born. The new-born Ayyappa descended to earth and was found abandoned by a king in the thick forest that formed part of a principality he ruled, called Pandalam.

The King raised the child and grew up to be a great warrior. He went back to the forest to fight barbaric tribes, befriended a Muslim warrior and defeated enemies. Once he appeared before the people riding on a leopard to reveal himself to them. After this, the Lord returned to the forest and, with the power of yoga, merged his physical form with the idol of Dharma Sasta, a Vedic deity, in the temple of Sabarimala. This story of Lord Ayyappa has come down to us through generations of devotees. A visit to this sacred temple of Lord Ayyappa is said to bring contentment, spiritual upliftment, prosperity and fulfillment of their desires and wishes.
  

First, some ground rules for the pilgrimage…
 

Every pilgrim has to take certain vows and seek the permission and the blessings of the parents. The vow, taken at least 45 days before ascending the sacred 18 steps to the sanctum sanctorum (sannidhanam) of Sabarimala, carries some mandatory rules. The devotee has to become pure in 2 aspects – physical and mental. This translates into strict celibacy, repeated chanting of
the mantra ie Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa,

abstinence from alcohol and non-vegetarian food, austerity and capping all carnal desires. During Deeksha, the devotees wear black or saffron clothes, don't shave, wear tulsi or rudraksha beads around the neck. Once you wear it, the vows must be observed completely.

Sabarimala (Mount Sabari, 3000 feet above sea level) lies in the Sahyadris, the Western Ghats. Clearly the most revered temple in Kerala, a pilgrimage there symbolizes the journey to heaven. Each devotee carries a sacred irumudi - a cloth bag with pooja items such as coconuts, dry fruit, sandalwood paste, turmeric and the like, set off on the trek up to the shrine, chanting all the way.

Erumeli is the most popular route to the shrine. They say that Ayyappa himself followed this path to the summit of the hill. It’s also the most arduous - all of 61 kms long and winds through forested hills. The route is dotted with shrines. The Pampa river that flows through here is considered as sacred as the Ganga up north. Devotees believe that a dip in the river can wash away the sins of a lifetime. While on the trek, one can notice many interesting ceremonies and some spectacular and daring feats performed by the pilgrims.

From Pampa, the 6 kms trek up to the Sabarimala shrine culminates in the sacred `18 steps’, locally called the Patinettampadi. This is a flight of steps that lead up to the shrine, where pilgrims are rewarded with the final darshan of the deity. The original granite steps are damaged due to continuous breaking of coconuts on the steps by pilgrims. This has however been mended.

From Erumeli, the 48 km trek should be attempted by the very fit and usually with a group, under a guru. (Another route approaches the shrine from Chalakkayam, 8 kms off Pampa. Buses ply till Pampa from where the trek is short and easy).

The Sabarimala pilgrimage happens between mid-November and mid-January. This is when the temple is inundated with devotees from all across India and everything…. accommodation, flowers, coconuts….is at a premium. Throughout the year, there are prayers at the temple, usually taking place in the first few days every month. The shrine, therefore, is open only for the first 5 days every month, besides the pilgrimage season.

Did you know ? The Sabarimala temple is open to people from all caste, creed, religion, social status or nationality. Yet, for females, there’s a clause. Only females, below 10 years and above 50 years of age, are allowed in the shrine. The reasons given - the Lord is a chaste yogi, a celibate hermit, a tough 41-day penance and an arduous trek up to the shrine. Many feminist organizations have tried to persuade the Temple Board to revoke this age-old tradition but to no avail.

Kerala’s capital, Thiruvananthpuram, is the most convenient base from which to get to Sabarimala. The closest airports are at Thiruvananthpuram (149 km from Erumeli), Kottayam (76 km) and Ernakulam (120 km). All three have frequent connections to other major airports in India.

As far as trains go, the nearest train stations are Chengannur (62 kms from Erumeli), Thiruvalla and Changanasseri. From Thiruvananthpuram, Kottayam, Ernakulam or any of the other railheads, you can get a bus to Chalakayam, Vandiperiyar or Erumeli - the three starting points for the trek up to Sabarimala.

During the Sabarimala season, the Southern Railways and State Bus Transport corporations operate special trains and buses for the hordes of pilgrims.