15 January 2003, 12:00am IST
Parur S Ganesan.
Every year on Makara Sankaranthi, a unique phenomenon takes place at Sabarimala, the popular pilgrim centre on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. A light of extraordinary brightness appears on the horizon in the north-eastern side of an adjacent mountain top called Kantamala. The beacon, called Makara Jyoti, lasts 15 to 20 minutes and marks the climax of the 41 days of the Sabarimala pilgrimage. This 'light' miracle, in fact, follows yet another unexplained annual event. The ornaments of Lord Ayyappa, presiding deity of Sabarimala, are kept in the custody of the erstwhile Prince of Pandalam in his palace, 90 km from the temple. These are taken to the temple every year in a three-day-long procession. As the procession approaches the temple, an eagle is seen hovering over it, guiding it towards the sanctum sanctorum. Once the ornaments reach the temple, the eagle mysteriously disappears. Sabarimala is in the Western Ghats and is named after Sabari, the tribal woman mentioned in the Ramayana, who attained salvation after her meeting with Ram. Sabarimala is believed to be the abode of Lord Ayyappa and is visited by about one crore pilgrims every year. For 41 days, devotees follow a controlled lifestyle. They eat only vegetarian food, refrain from consuming alcohol or tobacco, and follow personal cleanliness and celibacy. Pilgrims wear only black clothes and don't shave. Irrespective of caste, creed, social status or religious belief, anyone can worship at the temple. All pilgrims are referred to as 'swamy' during the pilgrimage. However, only pre-puberty and post-menopausal women are allowed to visit the temple. Offerings to Ayyappa are tied in a bag with two compartments, known as irumudi. This contains a ghee-filled coconut, puffed and beaten rice, camphor, betel leaves and nuts, and incense sticks. Pilgrims carry the offerings on their heads throughout the arduous journey chanting the slogan Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa, which means, 'Oh Ayyappa! I seek refuge in you'. The 18 steps to the temple represent the 18 Puranas. Another school of thought has linked them with the five indriyas, eight ragas, three gunas and two vasanas. Close to the temple's entrance, there is a temple to a Muslim disciple, Vavar Swamy, while those of two tribal chiefs, Kadutha Swamy and Karuppa Swamy, are positioned on either side of the steps. En route, pilgrims are also required to feed fish in a well in the compound of a church. Lord Ayyappa, who does not figure in any scripture or mythology, is the son of Vishnu (Hari) and Shiva (Hara) when the former assumed the form of Mohini. So, Ayyappa is known as Hariharaputhra. Historically, Ayyappa was an adopted prince of the Raja of Pandalam who traced his origin to the Pandyan Dynasty of Madurai. As an adopted son, Ayyappa survived several attem-pts on his life. Finally, he left the palace to settle down in Sabarimala, it is said, when the queen of Pandalam, faking stomach pain, demanded of Ayyappa to bring fresh milk of a tigress. He appeared next morning at the palace with a herd of tigresses. Ayyappa is also called Dharma Sastha — the one who preaches and upholds dharma. Recently, resear-chers have found a Buddhist quality to the castelessness, equality, rigorous penance, rigid code of conduct and self-discipline associated with Ayyappa. They believe that the chant of Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa to be an adaptation of Buddham Sharanam Gachhami and also claim that the idol of Ayyappa has great similarity to Buddhist idols. The path of a spiritual aspirant is never easy — it is always long, arduous, hazardous and thorny. The Sabarimala pilgrimage symbolises the struggle of the individual soul in its onward journey to the abode of bliss and beatitude.
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