For people of south India the greatest pilgrimage season starts from [As per Malayalam Calendar Vrichigam 1st.] around mid of November and for the next 30 days is the time when the temple of Sabarimala Ayyappa Swamy also knows as Manigandan, on top of mount Sabarimala in Kerala western ghats is opened for the Mandala kala.Ayyappa swamy was born as a result of communion between Lord Mahavishnu and Lord Mahadeva for the purpose of bringing back order, after majority of people turned to sinful ways of living in Kaliyuga also the need for killing Demon Mahishasura was the main purpose.
It is very surprising and great cultural happening, where those who decide to visit the place has to start with taking Vrida for 41 days prior to the visit, thereby preparing for the climb, for men , women above fifty years or below 10 years girls, alone are permitted .One has do the penance by eating vegetarian food only along with absenting oneself from sex,alcohol,drugs and all other vices strictly for 41 days.That apart the Guruswamy,will first give you a black dress to start with moreover one has to wake up early morning to bath and visit temple early and in the evening too preferably[we did that in temples called Kuthirakurissi Srikrishna temple more than 3000 years old and Chinakathur Devi temple supposed to be there from Tretha yuga,both near Ottapalam in Palakkad Dist.] for the 41 days strictly if possible. You are taught self discipline and the scientific results on your health and spirits are mind boggling.
You will be free from all ailments very soon moreover, all the toxic waste in your body will be thrown out making you fit and healthy.One has to do away with even footwear for 41 days and is asked to climb barefoot.It is said & rightly so,that you will be recycling your body in the process, which will be hale and healthy for the coming year and after the visit even if you start indulging in all the vices, if you do the trip again the same way next year means, you are actually giving your body the much needed repair, recycling thereby purifying, inside and outside every year.This is a perfect way for healthy living.Some even walk all the way hundreds of kilometers every year, an exhilarating and most purifying experience, the sight of the forests and mountain ranges are mind boggling for those who are nature lovers, one has to experience to realize the importance of such servicing for our body and mind , the key to healthy and successful living.
We started the journey by doing Irumudikettu, the offerings including ghee filled Coconuts, rice etc; has to be packed by the Guruswamy.We did it at a serene temple inside forest at a place called Mangalam near Ottapalam in Palakkad District of Kerala,the temple Mulanjoor Bhagavathy, has a history of thousands of years ,we then followed to the next temple called thiruvilwamala Vilwadrinathan,Sriram temple ,which is an old temple dating back to Tretha Yuga, when Lord.Sriram was living there with his brother Laxman while they were building the Sethu bridge from Southern tip of India Rameswaram to Sri Lanka ,where Goddess.Sitadevi was held hostage by the Lankan King Ravana. They did ultimately save Sita by killing the demon King Ravana after an epic battle.Then we visited Ivarmadam Sri Krishna Temple beside the river Bharatha [also known as Nila nathi],taking us back to more than 5000 years when the Pandavas visited there, to do the shradh ceremony for those who perished again, for fighting against Dharma and Sathya. The Pandavas were tricked and all their country was annexed by Duryodhan by cheating, leaving them no option left but to fight for getting their kingdom back and killed all their relatives and forces who had gone away against all norms of righteous living. Our next stop was Dharama Sastha temple at Akaloor near Trichur,after which we proceeded to Guruvayoor SriKrishna temple, also said to be 5000 years old .From there we went to Kodungalloor Kannagi Devi temple named after the Tamil Kannagi devi who settled after her worst nightmare in Madurai when the king killed her husband wrongly after he was caught trying to sell her Anklet,told to be filled with precious stones. The soldiers who caught him thought ,such a precious anklet only can belong to the queen,which was wrong.The queen was at fault because she too claimed the ownership and the King was wrong because he ordered the man to be killed thinking he was guilty of stealing. Madurai was in flames after the incident , in great sorrow and anger Kannagi devi left the place of her birth and proceeded to Kerala via the southern districts ultimately settling At Kodungalloor.
--------- Part 1 --------- to be continued.
It is very surprising and great cultural happening, where those who decide to visit the place has to start with taking Vrida for 41 days prior to the visit, thereby preparing for the climb, for men , women above fifty years or below 10 years girls, alone are permitted .One has do the penance by eating vegetarian food only along with absenting oneself from sex,alcohol,drugs and all other vices strictly for 41 days.That apart the Guruswamy,will first give you a black dress to start with moreover one has to wake up early morning to bath and visit temple early and in the evening too preferably[we did that in temples called Kuthirakurissi Srikrishna temple more than 3000 years old and Chinakathur Devi temple supposed to be there from Tretha yuga,both near Ottapalam in Palakkad Dist.] for the 41 days strictly if possible. You are taught self discipline and the scientific results on your health and spirits are mind boggling.
You will be free from all ailments very soon moreover, all the toxic waste in your body will be thrown out making you fit and healthy.One has to do away with even footwear for 41 days and is asked to climb barefoot.It is said & rightly so,that you will be recycling your body in the process, which will be hale and healthy for the coming year and after the visit even if you start indulging in all the vices, if you do the trip again the same way next year means, you are actually giving your body the much needed repair, recycling thereby purifying, inside and outside every year.This is a perfect way for healthy living.Some even walk all the way hundreds of kilometers every year, an exhilarating and most purifying experience, the sight of the forests and mountain ranges are mind boggling for those who are nature lovers, one has to experience to realize the importance of such servicing for our body and mind , the key to healthy and successful living.
We started the journey by doing Irumudikettu, the offerings including ghee filled Coconuts, rice etc; has to be packed by the Guruswamy.We did it at a serene temple inside forest at a place called Mangalam near Ottapalam in Palakkad District of Kerala,the temple Mulanjoor Bhagavathy, has a history of thousands of years ,we then followed to the next temple called thiruvilwamala Vilwadrinathan,Sriram temple ,which is an old temple dating back to Tretha Yuga, when Lord.Sriram was living there with his brother Laxman while they were building the Sethu bridge from Southern tip of India Rameswaram to Sri Lanka ,where Goddess.Sitadevi was held hostage by the Lankan King Ravana. They did ultimately save Sita by killing the demon King Ravana after an epic battle.Then we visited Ivarmadam Sri Krishna Temple beside the river Bharatha [also known as Nila nathi],taking us back to more than 5000 years when the Pandavas visited there, to do the shradh ceremony for those who perished again, for fighting against Dharma and Sathya. The Pandavas were tricked and all their country was annexed by Duryodhan by cheating, leaving them no option left but to fight for getting their kingdom back and killed all their relatives and forces who had gone away against all norms of righteous living. Our next stop was Dharama Sastha temple at Akaloor near Trichur,after which we proceeded to Guruvayoor SriKrishna temple, also said to be 5000 years old .From there we went to Kodungalloor Kannagi Devi temple named after the Tamil Kannagi devi who settled after her worst nightmare in Madurai when the king killed her husband wrongly after he was caught trying to sell her Anklet,told to be filled with precious stones. The soldiers who caught him thought ,such a precious anklet only can belong to the queen,which was wrong.The queen was at fault because she too claimed the ownership and the King was wrong because he ordered the man to be killed thinking he was guilty of stealing. Madurai was in flames after the incident , in great sorrow and anger Kannagi devi left the place of her birth and proceeded to Kerala via the southern districts ultimately settling At Kodungalloor.
--------- Part 1 --------- to be continued.
