Located in the district of Pathanamthitta of Kerala, in the western Ghats lies Sabarimala, the abode of Lord Ayyappa. The temple is an important source of spiritual wealth and is famous amongst South Indians for the Sabarimala Yatra or pilgrimage. This podcast by Aravind Subramaniyam is a detailed guide for anyone embarking on the yatra.
Etymology – What Does Sabarimala Mean?
Shabari means huntress in Tamil, Malayalam and many Indian languages.Mala means a hill. So it is the hill of the huntress.The temple is named after a Yogini called Shabari who was a disciple of Sage Agastya. She was in penance for a long time, waiting for the incarnation of Shasta as Manikantha – one of the manifestations of Ayyappa Swami. Pleased with her tapasya, Lord Manikantha decided to stay back for his devotees on this hill.
Brief History of Sabarimala
Brahmanda Purana, Skanda Purana and the Brahma Purana mention Manikantha or Ayyappa Swami as the 8th incarnation of Shasta.
Shasta was the son born out of Mahavishnu’s Mohini avatar and Paramashiva’s union. Devi gave a boon to both Mahavishnu and Paramashiva for the birth of a son. Hence Shasta was born without any garbhavasa or pregnancy in a womb.
He is said to have 8 incarnations. In the last of these incarnations as Lord Ayyappam, he is a Brahmachari. Shasta is called Manikantha in the 8th incarnation as he adorns a Navaratna Mala – a necklace made out of 9 most precious gems, around his neck.
Earlier, the temple used to be closed throughout the year except on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. It is believed that the Ayyapa Swami is in meditation throughout the year for the people of Kaliyuga. He comes out for a few days during the occasion to bless his devotees.
Sabarimala Temple
Sabarimala, also known as Sabarigiri, is located in the Sahyadri ranges of the Western Ghats. Although there is a debate on the location of Kishkindha being in Karnataka or Kerala, this region is also known as Kishkinda due to the presence of river Pampa.
The main temple is surrounded by 18 hills. In the center of the hills lies the Mahayogapeetham where the garbhagriha or the sanctum sanctorum of the temple is located. This is also known as Matanga Vana as it is the region where Matanga Maharshi performed penance.
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