The Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple in Kerala is a prominent Hindu shrine dedicated to Lord Ayyappan, son of Shiva and Mohini (a female avatar of Vishnu). Located atop Sabarimala hill in Pathanamthitta district and surrounded by 18 hills within the Periyar Tiger Reserve, it is one of the world’s largest annual pilgrimage sites, attracting 10–15 million devotees annually. The temple is open for worship during Mandala Pooja (Nov–Dec), Makaravilakku (Jan), Maha Thirumal Sankranti (Apr), and the first five days of each Malayalam month. It is noted for integrating diverse religious traditions and restricts entry to women aged 10–50.
About The Sabarimala Temple (Malayalam: ) is a temple complex in Kerala, India, situated on Sabarimala hill within the Periyar Tiger Reserve in Perinad Village, Pathanamthitta district. It is one of the world's most famous annual pilgrimage sites, with an estimated 40 to 50 million devotees visiting each year. The temple is dedicated to Ayyappan, also known as Dharma Shasta, a Hindu Brahmachari (Celibate) deity who is said to be the son of Shiva and Mohini, Vishnu's feminine incarnation. Sabarimala's practices are a mix of Shaivism, Vaishnavism, and other ramaa traditions. Thawe wali Mata” is a Bihar temple located in Thawe Block of Gopalganj District. This temple is one of Jagrit Peetha and is dedicated to Maa Durga. Maa is also known as "Singhasini Devi" in this region. The worship of Shasta has a long and illustrious tradition in south India. The god is worshipped as Ayyappan and Dharmashasta at Sabarimala. Sabarimala is an ancient temple with a shrine. The prince of the Pandalam dynasty, an incarnation of Shasta, is said to have meditated at Sabarimala temple and become one with the divine. The Manimandapam is the location where the prince practice meditation. In South India and around the world, there are many shasta temples. Lord Parasurama, an avatar of Lord Vishnu, is said to have built the Shasta temple at Sabarimala, which is one of the five Shasta temples. The other Shasta temples in this group of five include Temples of Ayyappa: in Kulathupuzha, where the Shasta appears like a Baalaka or as a child; in Aryankavu where the lord appears as a Brahmachari or young man; in Ahankovil Shastha Temples where the lord leads the life of Grihastha Ashrama here. Architecture The temple is nestled among eighteen hills at an elevation of 1260 metres (4,134 feet) above sea level, surrounded by mountains and dense forests. The woods around the temple are called Poongavanam, part of the Periyar Tiger Reserve. Each of the hills surrounding Sabarimala has a temple. Whilst in many places in the surrounding such as Nilakkal, Kalaketty and Karimalai functional and intact temples exist, remnants of old temples remain on the rest of the hills to this day.
Kerela
7025800100 webprd@kerala.gov.in Kerela
The Sannidhanam (main temple) is situated on a
40-foot-high plateau.
After arson and vandalism in 1950, the temple was
restored. There were no charges filed, and the earlier stone image of the deity
was replaced with a panchaloha (a five-metal alloy) idol measuring around one
and a half metres.
A sanctum sanctorum with a gold-plated roof and four
golden finials at the apex, two mandapams, and the balikalpura, which houses the
altar, make up the temple. The flag staff (dhwajam) was installed in 1969.
The Kannimoola Ganapathi Prathishta shrine is located
southwest of the Sannidhanam Sreekovil. Part of a broken coconut (Neythenga) is
offered to the fireplace by devotees (Azhi). The main offering is Ganapathi Homam.
Sankh, Chakram,
and Varada Abhya Mudra are the three mudras. The idol is now encased in a gold
Golaka. In the last decade, the temple was also rebuilt, and the conical roof
and sopanam are now covered in gold.
The shrine of Nagarajav, the Lord of Snakes, is located next to the Malikappuram temple. Pilgrims make their darsan and give offerings to Nagarajav after seeing Ayyappa and Kannimoola Ganapathi.
Ayyappan Jeeva samadhi [Arya kerala jeevasamadhi] took
place in Manimandapam.
Pampa Ganapathi temple, Nilakal Mahadeva temple, and Palliyara Bhagavathi temple are all part of the Sabarimala temple complex. Nilakal Mahadeva and Palliyara Bhagavathi temples are as ancient as the Shasta temple, and the deities are revered as Lord Ayyappa's parents. Pampa Maha Ganapathi and Athi Ganapathi (lit. old ganapathy) are sreekovils in the Pampa Ganapathi temple, where the idol from the first Ganapathi temple is worshipped. Sabari Peedam also has a Rama and Hanuman temple.
Mandalam Makaravilakku, Makara Sankranti (14th January)
Trivandrum and
Kochi are nearby airports.
The nearest
railway station is Chengannur, approximately 93 km from Pamba.
Pampa is Sabarimala's closest place to enter by road only. It is about five kilometres from the village of Sabarimala.
