The Supreme Court of India ruled in favor of allowing women of all ages to
enter the Sabarimala Temple on September 28, 2018. The 4-1 majority
decision struck down the practice of excluding women from the temple, which
had been in place for centuries. The court ruled that the exclusion
violated women's fundamental rights, including their right to worship and
practice their religion.
The majority opinion was based on the following arguments:
The exclusion of women violated Article 25 (Clause 1) of the Constitution,
which guarantees freedom of religion.
The exclusion violated Article 15 of the Constitution, which prohibits
discrimination.
The exclusion violated Rule 3(b) of the Kerala Hindu Places of Worship.
The practice was not an essential religious practice.
The practice was discriminatory against women, who have been socially
excluded based on notions of purity.
Justice Indu Malhotra dissented from the majority opinion. She argued that
every individual should be allowed to practice their faith, regardless of
whether it is rational or logical.
In November 2019, the Supreme Court referred the matter to a larger bench
for review. In February 2020, the nine-judge bench upheld the referral and
framed seven questions of law to decide.
Judgment in Plain English
Sabarimala Temple Entry
| 28th Sep 2018
On September 28th 2018, a 5-Judge Bench of the Supreme Court delivered its
verdict in the Sabarimala Temple Entry case. A 4:1 majority held that the
temple’s practice of excluding women is unconstitutional. It held that the
practice violated the fundamental right to freedom of religion—Article
25(1) of female worshippers. The Bench struck down Rule 3(b) of the Kerala
Hindu Places of Public Worship Rules, 1965, which allowed the exclusion of
women based on custom, as unconstitutional.
The Court delivered four separate opinions written by: Chief Justice Misra,
Justice Nariman, Justice Chandrachud and Justice Malhotra. Justices Nariman
and Chandrachud concurred with the opinion of Chief Justice Misra. The
dissenting opinion in the case was delivered by Justice Indu Malhotra.
Chief Justice Misra’s Opinion
CJI Dipak Misra, speaking on behalf of Khanwilkar J and himself, observed
that religion is a way of life intrinsically linked to the dignity of an
individual. Exclusion of one gender in favour of another could not be
allowed, as it infringed upon the fundamental freedom to practice and
profess one’s religion. He stated that the exclusion of women between the
ages of 10-50 years practiced by the Sabarimala Temple denuded women of
their freedom of worship, guaranteed under Article 25(1).
Further, he held that the devotees of Lord Ayyappa did not pass the
constitutional test to be declared a separate religious identity. He said
that they are Hindus. The temple’s denominational right to manage its own
internal affairs, under Article 26(b), was subject to the State’s social
reform mandate under Article 25(2)(b). Article 25(2)(b) provides that the
State can make laws to reform Hindu denominations. Specifically, it allows
the State to make any law that opens a public Hindu institution to all
‘classes and sections‘ of Hindus. Justice Misra interpreted ‘classes and
sections‘ to include the gendered category of women.
He also held that the exclusion of women between ages 10-50 by the
Sabarimala Temple cannot be an essential religious practice. He held that
if the Ayyappans are Hindus, the practice of excluding women cannot be held
to be an essential religious practice.
He struck down Rule 3(b) of the Kerala Hindu Places of Public Worship
(Authorisation of Entry) Rules, 1965. He said that is both in violation of
the Constitution and ultra vires to Sections 3 and 4 of its parent Act.
Sections 3 and 4 of the Act were written with the specific aim of reforming
public Hindu places so that they become open to all sections of Hindus.
Rule 3(b) achieves the opposite—it allows public Hindu places of worship to
exclude women on the basis of custom. CJI Misra concluded that the rule not
only violates the Constitution, but also stands in conflict with the
intention of the parent Act.
Justice Nariman’s Opinion
Justice Rohinton Nariman delivered a concurring opinion. He held that the
worshippers of Ayyappa do not constitute a separate religious denomination.
He labelled them as Hindus who worship the idol Ayyappa. He held that the
Sabarimala Temple’s denominational freedom under Article 26 is subject to
the State’s social reform mandate under Article 25(2)(b).
He declared that the exclusion of women from the temple effectively
rendered their right under Article 25 meaningless. He emphasised that
Article 25(1) protects the fundamental right of women between the ages of
10-50 years to enter the Sabarimala Temple and exercise their freedom of
worship. He stated that there was sufficient material to conclude that the
exclusion of women from Sabarimala violated Article 25(1).
He concluded that the Ayyappans’ custom of excluding women, between the
ages of 10-50 years, from the Sabarimala Temple was unconstitutional. He
also struck down Rule 3(b) of the Kerala Hindu Places of Public Worship
(Authorisation of Entry) Rules of 1965 as unconstitutional.
Justice Chandrachud’s Opinion
In a separate and concurring opinion, Justice D Y Chandrachud held that the
exclusion of women between the ages of 10-50 years by the Sabarimala Temple
was contrary to constitutional morality and that it subverted the ideals of
autonomy, liberty, and dignity. He held that the morality conceptualised
under Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution cannot have the effect of
eroding the fundamental rights guaranteed under these Articles. Justice
Chandrachud concurred with the opinions delivered by CJI Dipak Misra and
Justice Nariman to hold that the Ayyappans, or worshippers of Lord Ayyappa,
did not satisfy the requirements to be considered a separate religious
denomination. He held that the exclusion was not an essential religious
practice.
Justice Chandrachud further emphasised that physiological characteristics
of women, like menstruation, have no significance or bearing on the
entitlements guaranteed to them under the Constitution. The menstrual
status of a woman cannot be a valid constitutional basis to deny her the
dignity, and the stigma had no place in a Constitutional order.
Significantly, Justice Chandrachud addressed the argument that the
exclusion was a form of untouchability prohibited under Article 17 of the
Constitution. He observed that a perusal of the Constituent Assembly
Debates would show that the makers of the Constitution had deliberately
chosen to not give the term untouchability a specific meaning. He concluded
that this was to ensure that it was not understood in a restrictive manner
and must therefore be given an expansive meaning. He further held that
Article 17 is a powerful guarantee against exclusion and cannot be read to
exclude women against whom social exclusion of the worst kind has been
practiced and legitimised on notions of purity and pollution.
Justice Malhotra’s Dissenting Opinion
Justice Indu Malhotra delivered a dissenting opinion. She argued that
constitutional morality in a secular polity, such as India, requires a
‘harmonisation‘ of various competing claims to fundamental rights. She said
that the Court must respect a religious denomination’s right to manage
their internal affairs, regardless of whether their practices are rational
or logical.
She held that the Sabarimala Temple satisfies the requirements for being
considered a separate religious denomination. She held that the Sabarimala
Temple is protected under Article 26(b) to manage its internal affairs and
is not subject to the social reform mandate under Article 25(2)(b), which
applies only to Hindu denominations. Note that Article 26, denominational
freedom of religion, is subject to ‘public order, morality and health‘.
Justice Malhotra held that ‘morality’ (constitutional morality) must be
understood in the context of India being a pluralistic society. She stated
that the State must respect the freedom of various individuals and sects to
practice their faith.
She held that the fundamental right to equality guaranteed to women under
Article 14 cannot override Article 25, which guarantees every individual
the right to profess, practice and propagate their faith.
She held that Rule 3(b) does not stand in conflict with its parent Act, the
Kerala Hindu Places of Public Worship Act. She emphasised that the rule
‘carves out an exception in the case of public worship‘. She held that the
rule was consistent with Article 26(b) of the Constitution.
She dismissed the argument that the Sabarimala custom violates Article 17
of the Constitution. Article 17 pertains to untouchability and prohibits
discrimination on the basis of impurity. She stated that, in the context of
the Article and the Constitution in general, untouchability refers to caste
and does not extend to discrimination on the basis of gender. Like Justice
Chandrachud, she referred to the Constituent Assembly Debates to establish
how the founder intended to use the term untouchability. However, unlike
Justice Chandrachud, she concluded that untouchability does not extend to
gender.
More than 50 petitions, seeking a review of
the 2018 Judgment were filed by various organisations including the
National Ayyappa Devotees (Women’s) Association, the Nair Service Society
and the All Kerala Brahmin’s Association. On November 13th 2018, the Court
began hearing the review petitions in open court. As Chief Justice Dipak
Misra had retired, Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi replaced him on the Bench.
One year later, on November 14th 2019, by a narrow 3:2 majority,
the Bench delivered a Judgment keeping the review petitions pending.
Speculating that other freedom of religion cases may object to the
reasoning in the 2018 Sabarimala Judgment, they referred certain
overarching constitutional questions to a larger 9-Judge Bench. These
overarching issues pertain to women’s access to public religious
institutions. Justices Nariman and Chandrachud dissented, holding that this
speculation went beyond the narrow scope of a review petition. More on the
Sabarimala Review Petition here. Most notably, the Bench stated that the
2018 Judgment would be enforced until the review petitions were decided.
According to one argument against the entry of women, the
prohibition of female worshipers is traditional. Acharya Yugbhushan Suri
Maharaj, a Jain acharya, has said that women's entry is a religious issue
connected to fundamental rights. Commenting on the Sabarimala debate, he
said, "Whether it is Sabarimala or Jharkhand's Shikharji, the agitations
are for sanctity...Religion talks about inner belief and sanctity. This
should be respected. I am not against the judiciary or the Supreme Court,
but they should not overlook the belief of the people." Yoga guru Ravi
Shankar also supported the traditional prohibition of women
Others argue that allowing women to enter would disrespect the male deity.
J. Sai Deepak, the lawyer representing two women's groups and a devotee
sangam in the Supreme Court case,[36] has argued that the deity Ayyappan
should be regarded as a person, giving him the constitutional right to
privacy under Article 21. When women and girls of reproductive age visit
him against his will, the argument follows, it violates Ayyappan's privacy.
Some Hindu women believe that Ayyappan himself placed restrictions on women
entering the temple because he wanted to be celibate, and the presence of
women would distract him from this cause.
A few reporters have pointed out that gender segregation exists in other
Hindu temples. Some prominent temples also restrict men's entry. For
example, the Brahma temple in Pushkar prevents married men from entering
the inner sanctum. Other temples prevent men from entering on certain days.
Some women choose not to enter the temple, believing that it would be an
insult to Malikappurathamma's love and sacrifice.
There is also a rule for men who want to pray at the temple; they have to
take a vow of celibacy for 4 weeks leading up to their visit.[better source
needed] Some argue that female pilgrims will 'distract' the male pilgrims,
who follow a 41-day period of strict abstinence from sex. A statement by
the president of the Travancore Devaswom Board stated that allowing women
into the temple will lead to 'immoral activities' and turn the place into
'a spot for sex tourism, like Thailand'.
Another argument is that the Sabarimala temple is situated at the top of a
hill surrounded by mountains and dense forests, which some regard as
physically challenging for women to navigate. An official of Sabarimala has
pointed out that the lack of adequate sanitation facilities for women would
make their journey difficult. Hospital facilities are also sparse
Arguments in favour of the entry of women
Those in favour of allowing women entry to the Sabarimala temple
concentrate on the specific point that menstruation is not impure, and the
more general point that women deserve equal rights.[46] Activists, such as
the Dalit public intellectual, Sunny M. Kapicadu, see the struggle as a
continuation of Kerala renaissance which sought to undo centuries of caste
and gender inequality and oppression. They therefore welcome the verdict as
a reaffirmation of constitutional morality.
Some in favor of women's entry state that their opponents are
motivated by taboos surrounding menstruation According to the historian
Rajan Gurukkal there is "neither ritual sanctity nor scientific
justification" for the argument of menstrual pollution. He opines that the
shrine was originally a "cult spot" for a tribal deity, Ayyanar, of local
forest dwellers before it became a place of worship for Ayyappa in the 15th
century. Unlike traditional Hindu myth (created by mistranslation of texts)
that menstruation is impure, the tribal people considered it to be
auspicious and a symbol of fertility. They gathered at the temple along
with their women and children of all ages until the 1960s. Gurukkal also
argues that there is documented evidence of young savarna women making
their way into the temple until the 1980s.
Over 100 temples in Kerala are dedicated to Ayyappan. Women are allowed to
enter all other temples of Ayyappan, so some argue that making an exception
for Sabarimala is unusual and inconsistent.
The chief minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, is in favor of women's
entry to Sabarimala. He stated in 2018 that his party (LDF) has always
stood for gender equality and would therefore provide facilities for women
pilgrims to Sabarimala.
On 2 January 2019, two women, Bindu Ammini (aged 40) and
Kanakadurga (aged 39), entered the Sabarimala shrine, which was confirmed
with images from CCTV. Ammini is a resident of Koyilandy in Kozhikode
district and Kanakadurga is a native of Angadipuram in the district of
Malappuram. After they entered, the temple was closed for purification, and
many protested. They were the first women to enter Sabarimala following the
decision by the Supreme Court to end the 18-year-old restriction on women
of menstrual age entering the shrine. Ammini and Kanakadurga entered the
temple not via the 18 sacred steps but through the staff gate. They did so
with police escort at around 3:45 AM on Wednesday 2 January 2019, when few
other devotees or protesters were in the vicinity. They had previously
attempted to climb the hill on 24 December, but they were blocked by
protesters. According to reports, both women had stayed at a secret
location, vowing not to return home until they offered prayers at the
temple. The Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, confirmed that the
pair had entered the temple, and underlined that the police force was
duty-bound to give protection to anyone who asked for security. He referred
to the entry as a historic moment
Their entry was followed by various more successful entries of women to the
temple in the same month. On 4 January 2019, a 46-year-old woman from Sri
Lanka entered the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple and prayed in the Garbagriha.
She became the first woman under the age of 50 to have climbed the 18 holy
steps with irumudikkettu (offerings to the deity) since the Supreme Court
verdict Four days later, a 36-year-old female Dalit leader claimed to have
entered the temple. To prove the claim, a Facebook group called 'Navodhana
Keralam Sabarimalayilekku' ('Renaissance Kerala to Sabarimala') posted a
series of videos and photos showing the Dalit leader at Sabarimala
On 18 January 2019, the Government of Kerala informed the Supreme Court
that, after Ammini and Kanakadurga, 51 women of reproductive age dodged
protesters to enter the Sabarimala shrine. Media reports have noted several
discrepancies in the list submitted by Kerala government; for example,
their list included post-menopausal women and even one man.
In short human folly as a stress was caused earlier in and around
over RITUALS PERFORMANCE AND ON WOMEN, so bhakti and menses were tied down
which went against the men-power. K
Rajaram IRS 171224
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: 'gopala krishnan' via iyer123 <[email protected]>
Date: Tue, 17 Dec 2024 at 13:18
Subject: [iyer123] THE ANNUAL SABARIMALA FESTIVAL
To: Iyer <[email protected]>
THE ANNUAL SABARIMALA FESTIVAL
Dear friends,
Yesterday I could watch two videos about annual festival at Manimantapam
conducted by Kurups. I made a google search and could obtain many
information about the festival published by Kerala tourism. I have compiled
them giving more importance to Manimantapam related items. Hope a divine
reading.
Gopalakrishnan 17-12-2024
The annual temple festival at the Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple is a
special occasion for devotees. It is held in the Malayalam month ‘Meenam’,
which is also the Tamil month of ‘Painkuni’ (March – April) and is 10 days
long.
The hoisting of the temple flag marks the formal commencement of the
Ulsavam days. Several rituals and poojas are conducted during the
ulsavam. “Sree
Bhooth bali,” “Ulsavabali,” etc. are among the most anticipated poojas
during the season.
‘Pallivetta’, a ceremonial procession in which Lord Ayyappa is believed to
go hunting at ‘Sharamkuthi’ is one of the attractions of the Ulsavam. The
royal bath of ‘Arattu’ in Pamba is yet another event. The Ulsavam comes to
and an end with ‘Painkuni Uthram’, held on the day of Uthram which is the
birth star of Lord Ayyappa.
Aazhi Pooja
Aazhi Pooja - A ritualistic event in Sabarimala
Aazhi Pooja is a ritualistic event conducted as a part of the Sabarimala
pilgrimage. It symbolises the attainment of a spiritual and ascetic
mindset. Aazhi Pooja is performed close to the pilgrimage day, after the
pilgrim has been on ‘Vrutham’ for forty-one days and has reached a certain
degree of purification of mind and body. *‘Aazhi’ here is a pyre made by
lighting camphor. Devotees chant 'Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa’ and go around
the pyre. Coconut pieces, rice flakes, etc., symbolising desires, are
thrown into the pyre and they get burnt in the fire that represents Lord
Ayyappa*. Overcome by the fervour of devotion, some devotees go into such a
state of frenzy and excitement that they enter the aazhi and spread the
embers all around the place. This is usually a safe practice and no one
gets hurt.
Makaravilakku Festival
Makara Sankrama night witnesses the celestial phenomenon of the rise of the
star Makara in the sky, and the Makarajyothi becomes visible at
Ponnambalamedu. In the evening, after the Makaravilakku and subsequent lamp
worship, the grand procession begins. This festival spans from the first to
the fifth of Makaram (mid-January).
The key rituals during the Makaravilakku festival include *Kalamezhuthu
Pattu, Nayattu Vili, and Guruthi, performed before the closing of the
shrine doors*. For four days, ceremonies are conducted from Malikappuram to
the Pathinettampadi (18 steps), and on the fifth day, the focus shifts to
Sharamkuthi. These activities commence after the athazha pooja.
Two sacred chests, containing the Thiruvabharanam, are placed in the
Manimandapam. The colourful ascent to the Pathinettampadi (18 steps) is
accompanied by musical instruments, flags, parasols, and thidambu
(decorated replica of the deity).
On the fifth day, the journey to Sharamkuthi takes place. After the athazha
pooja, the procession moves from the Manimandapam to Sharamkuthi. Lord
Ayyappa is depicted as a mighty warrior with a moustache during this march.
After reaching Sharamkuthi and performing the Nayattu Vili, Lord Ayyappa
silently returns to the Manimandapam without any musical accompaniment.
*This silent return is believed to be accompanied by demons and mountain
gods, signifying its solemn nature.*
The festival concludes the next night after the Guruthi ritual, marking the
end of the Makaravilakku celebrations.
My note- Guruthi is with turmeric and chunnabu mixed water.
Sabarimala Niraputhari
Niraputhari, a symbol of prosperity and agricultural abundance, is
celebrated by Malayalees by hanging small sheaves of rice grains in their
homes. This ritual is also one of the important ceremonies at Sabarimala.
Traditionally, the Travancore royal family also observes Niraputhari Day.
On the day before Niraputhari, the Sabarimala temple opens, and the poojas
commence. In the morning, the sheaves of rice grains are received by the
Tantri at the Pathinettampadi (18 steps). The sheaf of paddy is then
brought to the eastern mandapam. After being worshipped there, the sheaf of
paddy is taken inside the shrine to be offered to Lord Ayyappa. Payasam
made from this new rice is also offered to Ayyappa.
After the pooja, small sheaves of rice grains are tied in front of the
sanctum sanctorum. The remaining are distributed as prasadam (consecrated
offerings) to the devotees by the Tantri (chief priest) and Melshanti (head
priest). Now, the paddy harvested at the Sannidhanam is first offered to
the Lord.
Paddy grains brought from Aranmula, Palakkad, Achankovil and
Chettikulangara are regularly delivered to Sabarimala for Niraputhari.
Additionally, paddy is also brought from Tamil Nadu. Devotees from
Rajapalayam bring paddy to the Sannidhanam in a chariot procession.
Painkuni Festival
The annual festival of Sabarimala, known as Painkuni Uthram Festival, takes
place during the Tamil month of Painkuni (March – April), which corresponds
to the Malayalam month of Meenam. This ten-day festival is celebrated with
grand events such as Pallivetta (ritual hunting) and Aarattu (holy bath). The
festivities begin with the ceremonial flag hoisting.
Kodiyettu starts after the Kodikura Pooja, Kodimarapooja and Kodiyet
Poojas. This is followed by Deeparadhana (lamp worship) under the flag
pole. Throughout the festival, daily Sree Bhutabali and Utsava Balis are
conducted as part of the festival, accompanied by other special poojas.
On the ninth day, the pallivetta procession proceeds from the Sannidhanam
to the Pamba. The Aarattu occurs in honour of Lord Ayyappa's birth star,
Uthram. After the Aarattu, the idol is placed in the Pazhukka Mandapam of
the Pamba Ganapati Temple for devotees to offer their worship.
Onam at Sannidhanam
Onam, the grand festival of the Kerala, is celebrated with great
significance at Sabarimala. The festivities begin with the monthly poojas
in the Malayalam month Chingam (August – September). After the monthly
poojas the temple will reopen during Onam.
On the eve of Uthradam, the Tantri opens the temple doors, and the pooja
(ceremonies) commence. For Uthradam, the feast prepared by Melshanti is in
honour of Lord Ayyappa. Under the guidance of the Tantri, vegetables for
the Uthrada Sadya are chopped, and sadya is served to all devotees who come
for darshan.
On Thiruvonam Day, Sadya (grand feast) is offered to Lord Ayyappa by
Devaswom staff members and the Kerala Police. The Devaswom Board organizes
the Onam Sadya on Avittam, while the Police's Sadya takes place on
Chathayam. Alternatively, an individual Onasadya can be offered on
Chathayam in the presence of Sabarishan. The Malikappuram Melshanti also
receives an Onam Sadya in his honour.
Special poojas are conducted on Uthradam, Thiruvonam, Avittam and
Chathayam, including Udayastamaya Pooja, 25 Kalashabhishekam,
Kalabhabhishekam, Padipooja and Pushpabhishekam, marking the joyous
celebration of Onam at Sannidhanam.
Prathishta Dinam
Prathishta Dinam, or Installation Day, commemorates the anniversary of the
installation of the idol at Sabarimala. The ceremonies performed on this
day are abbreviated forms of the rituals originally conducted during the
idol's installation. These poojas are tantric processes intended to cleanse
the idol of impurities accumulated over the year from human or natural
causes, restoring its full vitality through Prana Pratishtha. Key rituals
include the Kalasha Pooja and Kalasha Abhishekam…..
Guruthi
Guruthi has been an integral part of the rituals at the Sabarimala temple
since ancient times. This sacred ceremony is conducted in the open space in
front of the Manimandapam, located behind the Malikappuram shrine. On the
fifth day of the Makaravilakku festival, Lord Ayyappa ascends to
Sharamkuthi, marking the last day of the grand procession. After the
athazha pooja, the procession to Sharamkuthi commences from the
Manimandapam. Upon its silent return to the palace, accompanied by the
demons and mountain gods, the rituals continue.
The following day, Guruthi is performed at Malikappuram. After the athazha
pooja, the ritual concludes with the recitation of Harivarasanam.
Traditionally, it is believed that Guruthi is associated with the mountain
gods. However, the Guruthi at Malikappuram is performed for Bhadrakali. This
ritual, which includes Kalamezhuthu (designing of tree-dimensional figures
of deities on the floor with colour powders) and the accompanying song, is
traditionally performed by the Kuruppans of the Ranni Kunnakad family.
The ceremony begins with a pooja, incorporating the panchabhuta (five
elements) concept with five torches, where the central torch is used to
invoke the deity's presence. After offering Nivedya (sacred food), the
Guruthi Tarpanam (offering of sacred water) is performed.
The royal representative of Pandalam, residing in the Raja Mandapam
adjacent to the Manimandapam, stays at Sannidhanam during the day to
oversee the Guruthi. Once the ritual is completed, everyone leaves the
Malikappuram, and no one is allowed outside the mansion at night. In the
presence of the Pandalam royal representative and a few relatives, secret
poojas are performed by the Kunnakad priests at the Manimandapam and the
Guruthi floor.
After these rituals, the workers descend from Malikappuram. The
representative from Pandalam returns to the Sannidhanam. By 5 in the
morning, the temple streets are opened, and normal routine is
restored, allowing
Ayyappan to enter a state of meditation.
Kalamezhuthu
Kalamezhuthu is a significant ceremony at Sabarimala, particularly
associated with the Makaravilakku festival. *This ritual takes place at the
Manimandapam, which is considered Lord Ayyappa's original residence in
Malikappuram.*
The Kalamezhuthu ritual inside the Manimandapam spans five days, beginning
from the day of Makara Sankrama. Each day's kalam (design of
three-dimensional figures of deities on the floor with colour powders)
represents a different phase of Lord Ayyappa's life, and together, they
depict the baby’s journey towards godhead.
On the first day, the kalam portrays Ayyappa as a child. The second day
features Ayyappa as the heroic archer. By the third day, the representative
of the Pandalam Raja arrives from Pamba to the Sannidhanam, and Ayyappa is
depicted as a prince. This representative resides in the Rajamandapam
adjacent to the Manimandapam. On the fourth day, Ayyappa is depicted as
riding a tiger. After the Kalamezhuthu on these four days, there is a
ceremonial ascension of Ayyappa from the Manimandapam to the
Pathinettampadi (18 steps).
*On the fifth day, Kalamezhuthu presents Thiruvabharanam as Vibhushita
Shastava. Following this, Ezhunnallath (the procession) and athazha pooja
are conducted. On this final day, the Ezhunnallath reaches Sharamkuthi*.
The Kalamezhuthu ceremony, starting after sandhya (evening), must be
completed before the Athazha Pooja (night worship). The Kalamezhuthu at
Manimandapam, the accompanying Kalamezhuthu song, and the Guruthi ritual at
Malikappuram are all performed by the Kuruppans of the Ranni Kunnakad
family.
The Kunnakad Kuruppans also escort the Lord from Sannidhanam for Pallivetta
and then to Pamba for the Aarat.
The five-colour powders used for Kalamezhuthu are sourced from the
traditional Ranni Thottamankaavu. These panchavarna (five colours) powders
are first taken to the chamber where Thiruvabharanam is kept at the
Pandalam Palace. From there, members of the Kunnakad family receive and
take them to Sabarimala for the Kalamezhuthu ceremony.
Nayattu Vili
Nayattu Vili is a rare and significant ceremony held at Sabarimala as part
of the Makaravilakku Festival. This ritual involves the recitation of
Ayyappa's legend in verse form. The Ezhunnallath (procession) begins from
Malikappuram after the Kalamezhuthu ritual at Manimandapam and the athazha
pooja. Lord Ayyappa then ascends to the Pathinettampadi (18 steps),
accompanied by the Nayattu Vili for four consecutive days.
As the procession reaches the Pathinettampadi (18 steps), the participants
stand in front of the temple, reciting the Nayattu Vili, which serves as a
declaration of position. The Nayattu Vili commemorates the time when Lord
Ayyappa went hunting, and his followers walked ahead of him, shouting
wildly. The ritual involves 576 actions, from salutation to dedication,
chronicling Lord Ayyappa's history. During the recitation, participants
respond with a ritual call of "Ohoy" and chant "Swami" at each stage of the
story.
The Nayattu Vili group consists of 12 members, including Pallivetta Kurup.
The Nayattu Vili is directed southward, while Lord Ayyappa's procession
faces the west. This ritual lasts for half an hour, with the representative
of the Pandalam Palace and Devaswom officials as audience.
On the fifth day, the procession moves to Sharamkuthi, accompanied by the
Nayattu Vili. The Perumal Pillai family from Perunad Punnamoot holds the
traditional right to perform the Nayattu Vili, a privilege believed to have
been granted by the King of Pandalam. It is said that this family was
brought from the Pandi region by the king. After the Sabarimala ceremonies,
the Nayattu Vili is also performed at the Perunad Kakkad Koikkal Temple.
Pamba Sadya
The Pamba Sadya is a cherished tradition for devotees who come to
Sabarimala after observing a 41-day ritual fast. These pilgrims, who take
the traditional Kananapatha route to witness the Makarajyoti and
Makaravilakku, partake of a sadya (feast) at the Pamba before ascending the
Neelimala.
Historically, the Pamba Sadya was offered to pilgrims from Ambalappuzha and
Alangad after they traversed the Karimala path and arrived at the Pamba
through Kananapatha. Today, this tradition continues with many other
devotees joining in the Pamba Sadya.
Upon reaching the Pamba, weary pilgrims rest in a convenient spot. They
then build a fireplace in less crowded areas and prepare the feast. Besides
the rice from their Irumudi kettu (two-compartment bundle), they purchase
additional groceries and vegetables from the nearby shops. The menu, which
ranges from Upperi (fried banana chips) to Payasam (sweet pudding), is
pre-decided.
The pilgrims request their Guruswami (chief pilgrim guide) for the Pamba
Sadya at Dakshina (ritual offering). The feast begins with lighting a lamp
and serving food on a leaf to Lord Ayyappa first, symbolizing the belief
that Swami Ayyappa partakes of the sadya with his devotees. Following this,
everyone joyfully joins in the feast.
In the evening, after bathing, the Ayyappa devotees proceed to climb
Neelimala for the Makaravilakku, completing their ritual journey with
renewed spiritual vigour.
Vishukani
Alongside the esteemed Guruvayur temple, Sabarimala stands as a revered
pilgrimage site where tens of thousands of devotees converge during the
auspicious month of Medam (April-May) to witness the divine Vishukani. …
On the eve of Vishu, after the completion of the regular poojas (rituals),
the preparation of the kani (auspicious items) for Lord Ayyappan commences.
The chief priest, in collaboration with other priests, meticulously
prepares the kani, filling large vessels predominantly with dry rice and
paddy. Within these, a special section is reserved for coconuts. The kani
for Lord Ayyappan is an elaborate affair, with plates adorned with
marigolds, cucumbers, jackfruit, mangoes, a variety of fruits, clothes, oil
lamps, gold and silver coins, and an additional silver bowl brimming with
coins. Following this preparation, the temple gates are ceremoniously
closed.
At the early hour of three o'clock in the morning, the chief priest reopens
the temple gates, ignites the lamps within the sanctum sanctorum, and
begins the initial worship of Lord Ayyappa. By 4 o'clock, tens of thousands
of devotees enjoy the divine opportunity to behold the holy sight,
receiving blessings in the form of cucumbers, flowers, fruits and grains.
The head priest and chief priest bestow the sacred Vishu kaineetam (Vishu
gifts) upon temple employees, policemen and other officials. The Vishukani
darshan (auspicious viewing) at Sabarimala extends from 4 am to 7 am,
succeeded by the customary Abhishekam (ritual bathing), morning pooja, and
Ghee Abhishekam (ritual anointing of the idol with ghee).
Following the Vishukani darshan, the temple gates are once again closed at
1 pm, only to reopen at 5 pm. The day's devotions culminate with the night
pooja (ritual) and the soul-stirring rendition of Harivarasanam, after
which the gates are closed for the night. ..
The poojas encompass various sacred rituals such as Padipooja (ritual at
the steps), Udayastamana Pooja (ritual from dawn to dusk), and others, with
the added grandeur of Laksharchana (chanting of a thousand names) performed
in reverence to Ayyappa Sahasranama. On Vishu day, devotees arrive bearing
flowers and fruits to offer to Lord Ayyappa. Upon the conclusion of the
Medamasa Poojas, as per tradition, Lord Ayyappan is allowed to relapse into
a state of yoga nidra (yogic sleep) in the sanctified Sannidhanam (sanctum
sanctorum).
--
To go to your groups page on the web, login to your gmail account and then
click on https://groups.google.com/
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"iyer123" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
email to [email protected].
To view this discussion visit
https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/iyer123/359978970.2589637.1734421701693%40mail.yahoo.com
<https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/iyer123/359978970.2589637.1734421701693%40mail.yahoo.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>
.
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"Thatha_Patty" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email
to [email protected].
To view this discussion visit
https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CAL5XZorJw34YFG959EMg%3DDF70vZZA4bVz3OZnXQL8srs7qaT5g%40mail.gmail.com.
