The history of Sabarimala and the Ayyappa deity is shrouded in mystery. The
scholar Radhika Sekar in her book The Sabarimala Pilgrimage and Ayyappan
Cultus says the myth and legends of Ayyappa are not found in any of the
major Puranic texts. The cult is traditionally not found in the northern
parts of India. “Ayyappa worship is not known further north than
mid-Karnataka, where it was probably introduced from Kerala”, observes M.N.
Srinivas in the book Religion and Society among the Coorg of South India.
Due to the significant non-presence of god Ayyappa in the conventional
Itihasas-Purana texts, it becomes difficult to categorise the cult as
strictly belonging to Hindu tantric modality. It is after eighth century
AD, with the coming of Brahmin migrants, that the Hindu temples of
Itihasas-Purana tradition started to be built in Kerala. Most of the
temples were in the wetland areas. One of the most notable things is that
the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple does not find much mention in historical
records of ancient Kerala, as Thikkurissi Ganghadaran says in his chapter
of the book Kerala Samskara Padanangal.
On the other hand, non-Brahmin influences on the historical evolution of
Sabarimala could be located. The relationship between the horseman god
Ayyanar of Tamil Nadu and Ayyappa of Sabarimala is one such influence. As
T.A. Gopinatha Rao observes in Elements of Hindu Iconography, “Ayyanar is
basically a village tutelary deity, worshipped by the lower castes. There
are iconographical similarities between the two deities and etymologically
too it appears to be feasible.”
In ‘Ayyanarvillupattu’ (traditional Ayyanar Tamil songs), Ayyanar’s
lieutenant Karuppuswami has also been eulogised and praised lavishly.
Ayyanar’s temples are usually accompanied by Karuppuswami temples nearby.
The cult is traditionally not found in the northern parts of India.
According to historian A. Sreedhara Menon, Sabarimala history is has more
to do with Buddhism than with Brahmanism. “Ayyappa devotees strictly follow
non-violence, vegetarianism and abstention from sex during the two months
before the pilgrimage. It resembles the Ahimsa principles practiced by
Buddhists”, Menon says.
For some scholars, Ayyappa is Nilakantha Avalokitesvara depicted in the
Buddhist Puranas. “It has been mentioned in the Buddhist Puranas that the
temple of Nilakantha Avalokitesvara was erected somewhere in the Sahya
mountains,” M. Sreekala Nair writes in her chapter of Introduction to
Kerala Studies. The posture of Ayyappa closely resembles the meditating
stature of Buddha
Another uniqueness of the temple is the presence of Vavar (a Muslim deity)
in its premises. Some Christian influences could also be identified.
Sabarimala pilgrims visit Arthunkal church, where thousands of them return
their malas (string of beads). This is another example for the mixed
religious culture. From this heterogeneous identity, the Sabarimala
space witnessed
a transformation into the Brahmanic fold of Hinduism, especially in the
twentieth century.
The most significant turning point in the process of Hinduisation is the
Sabarimala arson case of 1950. “The Santhikkaran (priest) who went to the
temple on June 14 found the Sreekovil (Sanctum Sanctorum), the Mandapam
(Temple Porch) and the store room destroyed by fire and the idol partly
damaged.” It was portrayed not as an accident, but as a deliberate attempt
to ravage the temple.
Hindu Mahamandal, an organisation working for ‘Hindu unity’ called for a
hartal (strike) in Thiruvananthapuram city on July 1. A ceremony to
re-install the idol and purify the temple was was conducted on June 25,
1950 with strong religious appeal to all Hindus. Under the leadership of
Akhila Bhartha Ayyappa Seva Sangam, an ‘Ayyappa Jyothi’ was ceremoniously
taken around Kerala and Tamil Nadu by the devotees for the first time to
generate public awareness, interest and involvement in the temple’s
reconstruction.
The temple has undergone significant ritual changes after the 1950
incident. One such significant change is the restriction on entry of women.
The ban was enforced under Rule 3(b) of the Kerala Hindu Places of Public
Worship (Authorisation of Entry) Rules, 1965.
The notion that this is a recent restriction finds resonance in the Kerala
high court’s judgment. “Women used to visit the temple earlier. The
Maharaja of Travancore accompanied by the Maharani (queen) and the Diwan
had visited the temple in the Malayalam year of 1115 (1940). There was thus
no strict prohibition for women to enter the Sabarimala temple in olden
days,” the judgment read. “Both women below the age of menstruation and
above the age of menstruation belong to the Sabarimala pilgrims. Nowadays
women belonging to menstruating age are also pilgrim to Sabarimala,” says
Kurumalur Narayana Pillai about 1940s in the book Sreebhoothanadha
Sarvaswam.
Another important change that took place was the incorporation of
‘Harivarasanam’ (Sanskrit official lullaby of Ayyappa) as the official song
of Ayyappa and Sabarimala. This song was incorporated as the official song
after the firing of the temple in 1950.
Makaravilakku (ritual festival of Sabarimala) is one of the most important
attractions in Sabarimala. It is during this period that the most number of
pilgrims reach Sabarimala. This is because of the ‘magical’ and ‘divine’
happening called Makarajyothi (celestial star appear in the month of
Makaram). Facts categorically establish that the divine Jyothi that gives
Sabarimala pilgrimage a magnetic attraction among the millions of Hindus is
man-made. Even the newspapers like the Malayala Rajyam and The Hindu, which
reported the Sabarimala temple arson in detail in the months of June and
July of 1950, didn’t carry any specific report on Makaravilakku phenomenon.
Former president of Tranvancore Devaswom Board Raman Nair has admitted that
“the Makaravilakku is also done with the help of the police and other
people”. In a letter the ombudsman for the Travancore and Cochin Devaswom
Boards, Nalinakshan Nair said that Makarajyothi has a history of 45 years
only.
The pilgrimage to Sabarimala plays a crucial role in the phenomenon and
process of Hinduisation. The Sabarimala pilgrimage could be easily fitted
into eminent anthropologist Victor Turner’s category of Communitas. In the
entire process of pilgrimage a new community or communitas of swami or
Ayyappans emerge. The pilgrims transcend their caste, class and other
hierarchies and tend to assume a new egalitarian identity of swami or
Ayyappan.
Pilgrimage brings a feeling of unity and fraternity as Hindus among the
pilgrims transcending the boundaries of caste. Here, Sabarimala pilgrimage
and the image of Ayyappa act as the unifying force of an otherwise caste
divided society. Though the communitas of swamis or Ayyappans is a
temporary phenomenon, it has long term repercussions and constituent role
in the larger and long term process of Hinduisation. The communitas give
birth to a collectivity that is active in other religious activities too.
This does not stop with the Sabarimala pilgrimage season. Instead, at a
micro level, the members of this pilgrimage communitas are the main actors
associated with other Hindu religious activities.
In all the stages of pilgrimage, we witness a clear cut Hindu collectivity.
In the growth and popularity of the Ayyappa cult and Sabarimala pilgrimage,
the Akhila Bharatha Ayyappa Seva Sangham (ABASS), a voluntary organisation
plays a crucial role. It has succeeded in orchestrating a targeted
pilgrimage of Hindus to Sabarimala from all parts of the world. Hence, more
than a spiritual urge the pilgrimage assumes a targeted character of Hindu
mobilisation.
All these things point out that organised Hindutva efforts have played a
crucial role in the transformation of Sabarimala as a exclusive Hindu
masculine space. The present agitation also clearly shows the organised
efforts of Hindu mobilisation in the name of Sabarimala.
I had done a 45 miles route after vigorous vratas and dharmam of
Ayyappan when the deity could be seen so close by and near that Nambudiri.
Similar vratas and walking tours are carried out for Pazhani (kaavadi) ,
Vaishnavi and Kashmir Sharika devi and Sharada devi.
K Rajaram IRS 131224
On Fri, 13 Dec 2024 at 09:29, APS Mani <[email protected]> wrote:
> Each word is embedded in gold, Sridharan Sir. I turned an ardent devotee
> after my marriage (more than 50 years now) observing my father-in-law. You
> have reflected everything in your simple note. Thanks, Mani
>
> On Fri, Dec 13, 2024 at 8:50 AM venkat giri <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>> *Respected Sir/s,*
>> * My Learnings/Observations*
>> * I have been a devotee of LORD IYYAPPA(even now) for few years while in
>> service/prime youth. Now I am aged and can not undertake the journey.*
>>
>> - *In no other faith/relegion the discipline to be adhered to is
>> visible to fullfill ones vow.*
>> - *One can feel the accomplishment on completing the yatra. Very
>> personal *
>> - *Daily prayers on IYYAPPA and visting temples including enroute*
>> - *Day by day the devotees are swelling ...irrespective of caste and
>> relegion.*
>> - *Devasom board is making all out efforts for a safe pilgrimage..but
>> can not keep pace with the crowd .*
>> - *GURUSAMY is PRATIBIMBA of Lord IYYAPPA. His strict disciplined
>> conduct of vrata period ,daily rituals ..diet etc. is unparrel in any
>> other such yatras. I had a retired National College Principal as
>> GURUSAMY...very strict follower.He would have sishyas who compliance to
>> the
>> rituals.*
>> - *One greatness of AYYAPPA Yatra is ..one imbibes control of ming
>> over the body..very essential for peafeful living.*
>> - *Fullfilment/accomplishment can only be felt van not be storied.
>> Can only be experienced.*
>> - *We learn many things.....discipline is always hard to follow
>> ...yet a yardstick for success of any event.*
>> - *sets an example or motivates ** others *
>> - *TEACHES to be purposeful in LIFE..HORMONIOS and DIVINE LIVING*
>> - *ANNADHANAM teaches us a great lesson. LIVE to make others also
>> HAPPY.*
>>
>> *---*
>> *Regards*
>> *VS*
>>
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