Sabarimala

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

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Sabarimala Temple in 2014

Sabarimala on Map of Kerala

Cumbum-Kumily-Sabarimala

Shabarimala (सबरीमाला) is a temple complex located at Sabarimala inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve in the Perinad Village, Pathanamthitta district, Kerala, India. It is located on Ram Van Gaman Path. It is the ‘Sacred Abode of Lord Ayyappa’ and one of the most important Hindu pilgrim centre in the country , who is also known as Dharma Shasta and is the son of the deities Shiva and Mohini (female avatar of the god Vishnu).

Location

Sabarimala is situated 72 km from Pathanamthitta town, 191 km from Thiruvananthapuram and 210 km from Kochi.

Variants

• Sabarimalai सबरीमलाई, केरल, (AS, p.934)

Origins and legends

According to the Bhagavata Purana, the god Shiva united with the god Vishnu while he was in his female Mohini form. Their relationship resulted in the conception of the deity Shasta. Shasta is also known as Hariharaputra, the son of Hari (Vishnu) and Hara (Shiva). It is believed that Ayyappa is a form of Shasta.

Five Shasta temples, namely those in Kulathupuzha, Aryankavu, Achankovil, Sabarimala, and Ponnambalmedu, are said to be linked to Parashurama, an avatar of Vishnu. In Kulathupuzha, Shasta is venerated as a child deity. In the Aryankavu temple, he is worshipped as an adolescent Brahmachari. The Achankovil temple is connected to the deity's Grihastha (household), where he is shown sitting on a horse and holding a sword, along with his wives, Pushkala and Poorna. The Sabarimala temple is associated with the deity's Vanaprastha, and in the Ponnambalmedu or Kantamala temple, the deity is shown as the greatest Yogi.

Legend of Manikandan: Sage Suta told his followers the story of how Ayyappa was born, according to Bhutnathopakhyanam, a text for Ayyappan followers. After Chamundi killed Mahisasura, his sister Mahishi arrived to take revenge on the devas (gods). Brahma gave Mahishi a boon that made her invincible, and only a human born of two males could kill her. The devas were afraid and helpless, so they sought assistance from Vishnu. The union of Shiva and Vishnu, who took the avatar of Mohini, produced a son named Manikandan.

Manikandan was abandoned on the banks of the Pampa River in southern India. The emperor Rajasekhara of the Panthalam dynasty, who didn't have any children, found this child. In the meantime, the queen delivered a baby. The queen disliked Manikandan and devised a scheme to eliminate him. She lied about her sickness, claiming that she could only be treated by consuming tiger's milk. Twelve-year-old Manikandan ventured into the wilderness in search of tiger's milk for her mother. On his journey through the forest, he destroyed Mahishi. The devas were pleased at Mahishi's death. Indra assumed the appearance of a tiger, which Manikandan used to return to the kingdom. He flung an arrow into the forest to mark the location of a temple, directed them to construct a temple, and then departed for Devaloka (the devas' abode).

Connection with Rama: Shabari was a tribal devotee of Rama who is mentioned in the Ramayana. Sabarimala literally translates to "the hill of Sabari."

As per legend, Sabari met Sage Matanga near the foot of Mount Rishyamukha. He became her guru, and she devotedly served him for years. When Matanga was on his deathbed, he foretold that Rama would come to grant her darshan. He told her to wait for the arrival of Rama. Since that time, Sabari has only left her ashram each day to gather berries for Rama. She would pick one, taste it, and place it in her basket if it was sweet, discarding the bitter berries because she wanted Rama to have only the sweet berries. While in his search for Sita, Rama visits the Sabari at her ashram. Sabari fed Rama with the berries that she had collected.

Rama saw a divine person doing penance and asked Shabari to tell him who it was. Shabari said it was Sastha (Ayyappan). Sastha also stood and greeted Rama.[17]

Legend of Malikapurathamma and connection with Ezhava Community:

According to mythology, Maalikapurathamma is the divine daughter of Cheerappanchira Panicker who taught Kalaripayattu to Ayyappa.Cheerappanchira is an ancient noble Ezhava family renowned for its Kalari in Muhamma, Alappuzha District. According to legend, Ayyappan was sent by the Pandalam king to Muhamma to learn Kalaripayattu. Malikkapurathamma, also known as Subhadra (Poonkudi), used to teach Kalari to Ayyappan in the absence of her father. During this time, they fell in love with each other. The Cheerappanchira family to this day holds many rights in the Sabarimala temple, such as to conduct fireworks, to light Nilavilak and ceremonial lamps at the Malikapurathamma temple, collect half the coconuts given by devotees at the Malikapurathamma temple.

There is a small Mukkalvetti Ayyappa temple at Cheerappanchira, near Kollam which hold 3/4 power of Ayyappa and rest in Sabarimala.

Valiya kadutha swami and kochu kadutha Swamy who were warrior brothers worshipped at Shabarimala are considered as ‘Shaundikans’, who hails from the Malabar Thiyyar community.

The Courts directions

In response to a PIL filed in 1991, the Kerala High Court had judged that the restriction of entry of women ages 10–50 to the temple was in accordance with the usage prevalent from time immemorial, and it directed the Devaswom Board to uphold the customary traditions of the temple and also concluded that "since there is no restriction between one section and another section or between one class and another class among the Hindus in the matter of entry to a temple (Sabarimala) whereas the prohibition is only in respect of women of a particular age group and not women as a class."

However, On 28 September 2018, the Supreme Court of India, overturned the ban on the entry of women. Normally Supreme Court of India will never accept review petition against it own order. However considering the facts and circumstance of the matter, Supreme Court has accepted the review petition and decided to hear the proceeding in an open court. After Completion of the hearing in February 2019, the Court ordered under the new Chief Justice Mr. Ranjan Gagoi, to refer the matter to big bench comprising 7 judges to re-consider the decision of 28 September 2018.

History

The Sabarimala temple does not have any ancient or medieval references. Nevertheless, there are extant late medieval references pertaining to the temple.

The Pandalam royal family drafted a mortgage document in 1793. It states that the royal family is pledging the revenue returns, which encompass the income generated by the Sabarimala Temple, to the Tranvancore state.

In 1863, Ward and Conner published an article that provided a description of Sabarimala and its vicinity.

In the year 1902, the ruler of Travancore issued a directive for the restoration of the Sabarimala temple, which had suffered damage as a result of a fire incident. Kochummen Muthalali of Polachirackal family, a Mavelikkara resident of Christian faith, funded and carried out the reconstruction contract.

In the year 1950, the temple was rebuilt after an arson attack. No charges were brought, and the earlier stone image of the deity was replaced by a panchaloha (an alloy of five metals) idol, about one and a half feet tall.

Neelakanta Panicker and his younger brother, Ayyappa Panicker, who are members of the Thattavila Vishwakarma family in Chengannur, Kerala, created the Panchaloha idol to replace the original stone statue of the deity. Edavankadan T.N. Padmanabhan Achari from Mavaelikkara was appointed the supervisor in charge of the new idol by Rajpramukh Sree Chithira Tirunaal Balarama Varma.[30] In the early 1950s, through P. T. Rajan efforts, the present panchaloha idol of Ayyappan was installed at Sabarimalai, and a procession was taken all over Madras state.

In 1969, the flagstaff (dhwajastambha) was installed.

सबरीमलाई (केरल)

सबरीमलाई (AS, p.934): केरल राज्य में स्थित एक प्राचीन स्थान है। प्राचीन स्थानीय अनुश्रुति के अनुसार इसी स्थान पर वनवास काल में राम की शबरी से भेंट हुई थी। शबरी के आश्रम की स्थिति के कारण [p.935]: ही इस स्थान को 'सबरीमलाई' कहा जाता है। यह किंवदंती अधिक विश्वसनीय नहीं जान पड़ती, क्योंकि वाल्मीकि रामायण में शबरी के आश्रम को पंपासर के पास बताया गया है, जो किष्किंधा के निकट स्थित था। पंपासर के पास पर्वत में एक गुफ़ा को 'शबरी गुफ़ा' कहा भी जाता है, जो 'सुरावन' नामक स्थान के निकट है। किष्किंधा होस्पेट तालुका, मैसूर में स्थित है। सबरीमलाई में मकर संक्रांति के दिन केरल के लोकप्रिय देवता 'अयप्पन' की पूजा होती है।

सुरोवनम्

विजयेन्द्र कुमार माथुर ने लेख किया है ...सुरोवनम् (AS, p.978): किष्किन्धा के निकट शबरी के आश्रम के रूप में यह स्थान प्रसिद्ध है. यहां श्रीराम-लक्ष्मण के मंदिर में शबरी की मूर्ति भी स्थित है (देखें किष्किंधा; सबरीमलाई). शबरी का आश्रम पंपासरोवर के निकट था (शबरी के आश्रम का वाल्मीकि रामायण में जो लेख है उसके लिए देखें पंपसर). अध्यात्म रामायण में शबरी और राम के मिलन की कथा अरण्यकांड, दशम स्वर्ग में सविस्तार दी हुई है जिसका कुछ इस प्रकार है-- 'त्यक्त्वा तद्विपिनं घोरं सिंहव्याघ्रादिदूषितम्। शनैरथाश्रमपदं शबर्या रघुनन्दनः। शबरी राममालोक्य लक्ष्मणेन समन्वितम्। आयान्तमाराद्धर्षेण प्रत्युत्थायाचिरेण सा। सम्पूज्य विधिवद्रामं ससौमित्रिं सपर्यया। सङ्गृहीतानि दिव्यानि रामार्थं शबरी मुदा। फलान्यमृतकल्पानि ददौ रामाय भक्तितः। पादौ सम्पूज्य कुसुमैः सुगन्धैः सानुलेपनैः। अरण्यकांड 10,4-5-8-9. तुलसीदास रामचरितमानस, अरण्यकांड में लिखते हैं- 'ताहि देई गति राम उदारा, शबरी के आश्रम पगुधारा। शबरी देख राम गृह आए, मुनि के वचन समुझि जिय भाए। सरसिज लोचन बाहु विशाला, जटा-मुकुट सिर उर बन माला। कंद मूल फल सुरस अति, दिए राम कहु आनि, प्रेम सहित प्रभु खाए हाय बारंबार बखानि।'.