Sabarimala Temple:
In the Perinad Village, Pathanamthitta district, Kerala, India, the Sabarimala Temple is a temple complex that is situated on Sabarimala Hill inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve. With an estimated 10 to 15 million pilgrims arriving each year, it is one of the most popular annual pilgrimage destinations in the world. It is said that Ayyappan, also known as Dharma Shasta, is a Hindu Brahmachari deity who is the son of Shiva and Mohini, the feminine manifestation of Vishnu. Shaivism, Vaishnavism, and other Ramaa traditions all come together in Sabarimala’s traditions.
The temple is surrounded by mountains and thick forests and is perched on top of one of 18 hills at an elevation of 1260 metres (4,134 feet) above sea level. Poongavanam is the name of the lush forest that surrounds the temple and is a component of the Periyar Tiger Reserve. Each of the hills that surround Sabarimala has a temple. While many locations in the vicinity, including Nilakkal, Kalaketty, and Karimala, have working and undamaged temples, there are still some hills that bear the relics of former temples.
About Sabarimala AyyappanTemple:
The main temple, or Sannidhanam, is situated on a plateau that is roughly 40 feet high. After being set on fire and vandalised in 1950, the temple was reconstructed. The older stone statue of the deity was replaced with a panchaloha idol, which is an alloy of five metals, and is roughly 1.5 feet tall, but no charges were filed. Neelakanta Panicker and his younger brother Ayyappa Panicker, who live in the Thattavila Vishwakarma family’s Chengannur, Kerala, created the Panchaloha idol to replace the old stone statue of the deity. By order of Maharaja Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, Edavankadan T.N. Padmanabhan Achari of Mavaelikkara was designated as the supervisor in charge of the new idol.
Two mandapams, the balikalpura, which houses the altar, and a sanctum sanctorum with a ceiling covered in gold plating and four golden finials at the top make up the temple. The flag staff (dhwajam) was installed in 1969.
The Sreekovil of the Sannidhanam is located south-west of the shrine of Kannimoola Ganapathi Prathishta. Devotees light the hearth with a portion of the cracked coconut). The primary offering is the Ganapathi homam.
The main staircase leading to the temple is known as the Pathinettu thripadikal, or the 18 sacred steps. No pilgrim may ascend the 18 sacred stairs without a “Irumudikkettu,” according to tradition. The 18 stages were included in Panchaloha’s 1985 service. According to a 1991 Kerala High Court ruling, persons without a “Irumudikkettu” may enter through the northern gate.
A few yards away from Sannidhanam is the temple of Maalikapurathamma, whose stature is practically on par with that of Lord Ayyappa. The Lord Ayyapan is thought to have given clear instructions that he wanted Malikappurath Amma to remain by his left side. At Malikappuram, there was only a Peeda Prathishta (holy seat) before the fire catastrophe. Brahmasree Kandararu Maheswararu Thanthri placed the idol of Malikappurath Amma. The Malikappuram Devi is depicted with a Sankh, Chakram, and Varada Abhya Mudra. The idol is now protected by a gold Golaka. The temple was also rebuilt in the past ten years, and the conical roof and sopanam are now covered in gold.
Maalikapurathamma, who is revered, is thought to be the daughter of Cheerappanchira Panicker, who taught Lord Ayyappa Kalaripayattu. Cheerappanchira, which is located around 100 miles from Sabarimala, has several privileges there, including the right to conduct fireworks displays there, light ceremonial lamps like the Nilavilak and receive half of the coconuts offered by visitors to the Malikapurathamma shrine there. Additionally, there is a Mukkalvetti Ayyappa temple at Cheerappanchira, which houses 3/4 of Lord Ayyappa’s power and the remainder in Sabarimala.
The Malikappuram temple is situated next to the shrine of Nagarajav, the Lord of Snakes. After Ayyappa and Kannimoola Ganapathi’s darsan, pilgrims perform their own darsan and present offerings to Nagarajav.
Ayyappan Jeeva Samadhi, or Arya Kerala Jeeva Samadhi, took place in Manimandapam.
The Pampa Ganapathi Temple, Nilakal Mahadeva Temple, and Palliyara Bhagavathi Temple are all part of the Sabarimala Temple Complex. Both the Nilakal Mahadeva and Palliyara Bhagavathi temples are as old as the Shasta temple, and the gods there are revered as Lord Ayyappa’s parents. Pampa Maha Ganapathi and Athi Ganapathi idols may be seen in the Ganapathi temple, and the first Ganapathy temple’s idol can be found in Sreekovil. A Rama and Hanuman temple can be found in Sabari Peedam.
Mandala kaalam
The pilgrimage to Sabarimala begins on the first day of the Malayalam year’s Vrischika month (the month of Scorpio), and it ends on the eleventh day of the Dhanu month (the Month of Sagittarius). The 41-day pilgrimage season is referred to as Mandala Kalam. The time period for the season is December and January.
Prasadam:
Aravana payasam and Appam are served as prasadam at the Sabarimala shrine. These are made from rice, ghee, sugar, jaggery, and other ingredients. Chettikulangara Devi Temple, the second-largest temple under the Travancore Devaswom Board located in Mavelikkara, provides the rice required to create the Prasadam at Sabarimala Temple. The Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore, has been hired by the Travancore Devaswom Board as a consultant to provide technical advice in order to ensure the quality of the Aravana, Appam, and other Prasadam preparations at the Sabarimala temple, according to the board’s chief commissioner.
Counters Prasadam
There is a dedicated counter at Sannidhanam that is available for the distribution of Prasadam.
Makarajyothi:
Every year on January 14 during Makara Sankranti, Sabarimala Temple in Kerala celebrates. It is thought that in order to bless his followers, the deity Ayyappan manifests as Makara Jyothi. The yearly Sabarimala pilgrimage culminates with the sighting of the Makara Jyothi.
Sabarimala Temple Timings:
Normally, Sabarimala Temple is open from 5 am to 10 pm. The timings may change to suit the vast number of devotees during peak times like Mandala and MakaraVilakku Mahotsavam.
Sabarimala Darshan Online Booking:
To know more about Sabarimala darshan online booking price and Sabarimala virtual queue slot availability 2022
Visit the Sabarimala website at http://sabarimalaonline.org as a first step.
Go back to the homepage and click the Registration link.
After that, click the Sabarimala darshan online booking registration Link to enter your email address.
Include ID proof information in the Name, Address, and Mobile Number fields.
The submit button for Sabarimala ticket booking should be clicked.
You can now print or download the darshan tickets for your records.
SREE DHARMA SASTHA ANNADHANA TRUST SABARIMALA
In the southernmost section of the Periyar Tiger Reserve in the Western Ghats, amidst a thick forest, sits the world-famous Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha temple. Every year, the Temple draws millions of tourists from India and around the world.
Visitors refer to Lord Ayyappa, the deity that rules over the Sabarimala shrine, as “Annadhana Prabhu.” As a result, feeding the pilgrims who visit Sabarimala is a devout gesture that is very close to Ayyappa Dharma.
The Sabarimala temple’s administrative body, the Travancore Devaswom Board, has instituted a free feeding programme for its pilgrims at both Sabarimala and Pampa, including the idathavalams. Since millions of pilgrims visit Sabarimala each year, this initiative requires significant funding to be implemented effectively. In order to provide free food to pilgrims visiting Sabarimala and other temples, the Board established the SABARIMALA SREE DHARMA SASTHA ANNADHANA TRUST.
The largest Annadhana Mandapam in India has been built by the Board and is located behind the Malikappuram Temple. More than two lakh pilgrims can receive free food from the Board every day, 24 hours a day.
Pampa: There is an annadana mandapam.
Nilakkal: Nilaykkal’s Anadana Mandapam
Sannidhanam: Sannidhanam’s Annadana Mandapam. There are options for lunch, dinner, and breakfast.
How to Reach Sabarimala Temple:
By Rail: Travellers can take the rail to Kottayam and Chengannur, then travel by road to Pampa.
By Air
By Air: Travellers can fly into Thiruvananthapuram or Kochi and then take the train or a road to Pampa.
Via Road
By Road: For the convenience of Sabarimala pilgrims, KSRTC has begun bus services from Pampa to Coimbatore, Palani, and Thenkasi. Additionally, authorization to run buses to Pampa has been granted to the governments of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Between the base camps of Pampa and Nilackal, there is a chain service.
Sabarimala Ayyappa Swamy Temple:
