THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SABARIMALA YATRA

Out of all God’s creations, human beings are the blessed ones in this materialistic world. In that birth without being handicap physically or mentally is a very great boon. I pray to all to utilize this birth by being pure at heart and noble by deed and thank the Almighty for giving this wonderful body and soul. Let us all pray Him for His blessings only.

We should always remember about the bubble like nature of our life. So let us think of him always and do our duties. In this passage I have tried to pass on the message parted by all the great Acharyas and Guruswamis about the Sabarimala Yatra. I have tried to consolidate almost everything and tell you about the dos and don’ts to be followed during VRATHA days—like Mudra Dharanam, system to be followed during vratham, carrying irumudi during yatra, taking off mudra etc.

In good olden days, yatra to sabarimala was carried out during Makara Sankaranthi only. But now people throng the hill during Mandalam, Vishu, Panguni Uttiram, Onam, monthly poojas and prathista days etc.

Yatra to sabarimala has always been a puzzle. It is entirely different from other forms of yatra/worship. Even dress code and the total look of the pilgrim are specified during this yatra. This yatra is utmost religious and rules are to be followed strictly for the sanctity and our own prosperity.

Every year, lakhs and lakhs of devotees take up this two-month vratham, to wash off the sins done by them during the 10-month gestational period in the womb of their mother. The whole concept of mudra dharanam—i.e. wearing of the mala during the starting of vratham is:  this jeevathma is to merge with paramathma crossing the 18 thatvas (principles) of life (18 steps). To denote that this jeevathma is going through this above process, the pilgrim (jeevathma) wears the mudra to tell the world that he will indulge only in noble and spiritual activities throughout the vratham period and thereafter. The mudra that is worn by the pilgrim will keep touching the body reminding him every now and then that he is under the divine process of reaching the paramathma and so he should be very strict in all his activities.

Till the previous day of the mudra dharanam, the person is in his worldly pleasures. The moment the mudra is worn, even the wife is dedicated to see the pilgrim as Lord Ayyappa himself and do her duties towards him perfectly with all sincerity and renouncing the pleasures till the yatra is over—i.e. brahmacharyam is to be strictly followed. The pilgrim who has worn the mudra should see the girls and women with the mudra as maligaipuram i.e. as a sakthi swaroopam. This is the first significant change in the pilgrim once he adorns himself with the mudra mala.

When to wear the mudra? The first day of Vrischigam i.e. the Tamil month of Karthigai is the auspicious day for mudra dharanam. For the pilgrims who want to go during other occasions should seek the advice of a guruswami—who is experienced in this yatra about the mudra dharanam and vratham.

Who should be the guruswami? This also has been specified by the sastras. The person, who is a guruswami, should always be noble and spiritual in this thoughts and deeds. He should have done the yatra, through the long route at least for some years and well-versed with the system to be followed during the vratham and yatra. Mudra dharanam should be had from the noble hands of such guruswamis. It can also be had from the noble hands of mother, father or the family guru. For aged ladies, their husband or an elderly person can do the mudra dharanam.

Where to do the dharanam? Mudra dharanam can be done in temples, pilgrim’s residence, guruswami’s residence, or the place where Ayyappa pooja is conducted.

How to do it? The mudra mala which is to be worn has to be kept in the pooja before wearing. For that mala, the pooja should be done according to the customs and rituals mentioned in the Ayyappa pooja vidhi. Only then the mudra mala is ready for dharanam. Now before doing the mudra dharanam it is a MUST that the pilgrim should take the blessings of his/her mother, father, guruswami, Lord Mahaganapathy, Lord Ayyappa, their family deity and Lord Sakthi. Then the guruswami should adorn the mala to the pilgrim who is standing facing the lord, apply thilakam on the forehead and do karpoora aarthi for both the Lord and the pilgrim, to denote that they are going to be one and the same—ie jeevathma and paramathma. The pilgrim should then do pranamam to the guru and offer dakshina.

What to wear as mudra mala? Thulasi, rudraksham, spatikam, sandalwood or lotus beads joined together in brass, silver, or gold wires, with or without dollar is very auspicious. The number of beads should be 27, 54, 72 or 108.  An additional mala is worn nowadays along with the main one.

Pilgrims in the profession of doctors, actors, police and other professionals who feel that during the two-month long vratham the sanctity at the workplace or at home cannot be maintained, it is better to wear the mudra on the day of starting of yatra. When a close relative is on the death bed, it is better to wear it on the day of yatra.

What to avoid after wearing mudra? Avoid using meat, liquor and tobacco. Intake of onion, garlic and other masalas to be avoided. As far as possible avoid comforts to this physic like sleeping on the mattress and wearing slippers. This will help to face the trekking of sabarimala, full of stones and thorns, with ease and train our body toilet down anywhere amidst the forest and hill. Avoid taking part in the last rites of somebody and avoid visiting hospitals. It is better to avoid shaving and cutting of the hair during the vratham period.

The wearing of orange, black, or blue robes during the vratham will indicate to others that this person is going for yatra. It is a must that the pilgrim should adorn his forehead with sandal paste, vibhuti or any other symbol so that the forehead does not remain empty.

The mudra mala has to be taken off during vratha days—IF one of the close relatives die for which you have some days of restriction (pilai) or there is some child birth in the family’s close circle. If the person has to visit hospital regularly, or go out of station where you feel that the sanctity cannot be maintained it is advisable to remove the mudra mala. If you have to help during the last rites of some person due to lack of any physical help on the side of the deceased, you should not deny them stating mudra mala as the reason. In those cases, if it is unavoidable, the mala can be taken off, and the services may be done. Lord also wants us to help others in times of need.

When to wear the mudra again? If good circumstances prevail, the yatra can be done after wearing the mala again, on an auspicious day from the hands of guruswami or elders as mentioned above.

During vratham period the yearly rites (shradham or any other rituals) to parents can be done with the mudra mala.

As far as possible, the person should go on yatra with the guruswami who adorns him with the mala. But under unavoidable circumstances, with the permission of guruswami, the yatra can be performed with some other guruswami also.

Once the irumudi is placed on the head, it is customary that after breaking coconut, the person should start for the yatra, without bidding bye to the family and thinking only of god. The people at home in turn should pray for the pilgrim, his good darshan of the lord and his safe return, by performing puja to Lord Ayyappa twice daily till the pilgrim returns.

On return, the pilgrim should break a coconut again at the entrance of his house. The aarthi should be taken by the family after washing his feet. The irumudi with the prasadam now is to be placed near the puja, aarthi taken and prasadam distributed to all.

How to take off the mudra after yatra? With due respects to the mudra and chanting the mantras, the mudra should be taken off after thanking the Lord for the darshan and safe return and the mala should adorn the photograph of the Lord.

If you happen to go to other temples on the way back from yatra, any earlier prayers can be performed in those temples, but tonsuring of the head to be avoided.

The main purpose of the sabarimala yatra is to get the blessings of Lord Ayyappa. This should be done with total purity in heart and that should reflect in our deeds. Taking bath twice daily, strict dress code, mudra dharanam, deekshai (avoid shaving), and chanting of swami saranam are all steps towards God, if done with sincerity and bhakti. Brahmins are requested to perform their daily karmas without fail along with all these. Do annadhanam whenever possible.

With the help of guruswami, wear the mudra, chant Lord’s name, do good deeds, be pure at heart, extend your help and love to living beings, cross the 18 steps and have a good darshan of Lord Ayyappa. After all these, continue your service to humanity for noble cause because SERVICE TO MANKIND IS SERVICE TO GOD.

Swamiye saranam ayyappa! Annadhana prabhuve saranam ayyappa!!

PILGRIMAGE TO NEPAL

After visiting many temples in India along with my wife, this is the first time i am putting my experience on records and sharing with you all. To all viewers of this blog, wish you a happy journey!!

With chanting of Om Namo Narayanaya, Jai Siddhi Vinayaka Murthiki Jai and Jai Sairam, we all reached Ernakulam south railway station by 12.30 hrs on Friday, 27^th June, 2008 to board train no 2522 Rapthisagar express and left for Gorakhpur. A group of 42 persons male and female reached Gorakhpur by midnight on 29^th June ‘08.

We were received at the station by a guide along with a team of cooks and a luxury bus. All were accommodated in a hotel on sharing basis. Next day morning, after a cup of coffee, we left for Gorakhnath temple darshan. By 10.30 hrs we proceeded towards Sonali-Nepal border and after entering Nepal, we were lodged at Hotel Manasarover. We were served breakfast, lunch and tea enroute by the organizers.

On 01-07-08 we were taken by bus to Lumbini, the birth place of Buddha for sight seeing. It is situated 250km south-west of Kathmandu. This place is the apostle of peace, compassion and non-violence. This is a holy site, where there are remnants of monasteries and chaithyas built over the centuries following Buddha’s birth in 543 BC. We visited Mayadevi temple also. We saw the BODHI tree where Lord Buddha got enlightenment. We left for Kathmandu and reached Hotel Maharaja for night halt.

On 02-07-08 being new moon day, some of us performed “tharpanam” at the hotel room and then left to have darshan of lord Pashupathinath one of the most sacred Hindu shrines of Shiva in the world. The richly ornamented pagoda houses the sacred religious pilgrims and sadhus who travel all the way from remote areas of India to visit this temple. Even though these devotees have denounced worldly possessions, each carry an identification card to freely cross over the border between India and Nepal. The Pasupathinath’s existence is indicated to prior 400 AD. Devotees can be seen taking ritual dip in the holy Baghmathi River flowing beside the temple, also a world heritage site. A sight seeing was arranged by bus and we all visited Kal Bhairab Temple, Badrakali temple, and Dakshina kali temple, where devotees were seen offering “rum” being poured into the mouth of the presiding deity. We had the blessing of KUMARI--a 10-11 year old girl who is worshipped by the natives as the living goddess of Nepal. We also visited a 17^th century Radhakrishna temple where Ramayana and Mahabharata are engraved on the rock wall of the temple. In the evening we had been to the Pasupathinath temple to witness aarthi performed on the banks of Baghmathi River. It was a sight worth seeing. It is like the one performed on the banks of river Ganga at Haridwar.

On 03-07-08 morning abhishekam to Lord Pashupathinath was performed after sankalpam. Chanting of Rudram, Chamakam were done by the pandits at the temple and all of us took part having a good darshan of Lord Pashupathinath again. During sight seeing thereafter we went to Durbar square. This is a complex of palaces, country-yard and temples built between 12^th and 18^th centuries by Malla kings of Kathmandu. Boudhanath Stupa, the largest stupa in the valley looms 36 m high and presents one of the most fascinating specimens of stupa design. It is also known as “Khasti”. There are more than 45 Buddhist monasteries in the area. Many have schools that teach young monks. We visited “Aarthi Matha” temple climbing 108 steps from where we had an exotic full view of Nepal. The Chinese border is about 130 km from this place. We had the glimpse of Bhimsen stupa and Rani Pokhri from the bus. We also visited Bhavani temple which is open only for three days in a year viz, Durgashtami, Mahanavami and Vijayadasami. We also visited Budhanilkantha temple also known as Jalnarayan which is situated below Shivpuri hills at the northern end of valley. The hub of the temple complex is a pond in which lies a great stone figure of lord Vishnu reclining on the coils of the cosmic serpent. It is also known as Bhuijasi. During the three days at Kathmandu, local purchases were also done. We saw rudhraksha tree at the hotel premises. We left for Pokhra and reached by about 22.30 hours for night halt at Lumbini resort, Pokhra.

On 04-07-08, a batch of about 22 persons left for Mukhthinath, a Hindu Vishnu shrine situated near river Kandagi, at the height of 13,500 ft above sea level. They all left by plane and landed at “Jonsom” airport at Mukhthinath.

Those who did not go there, left for sight seeing. First we went to ‘Namasthe children house’ which is an orphanage and a home for destitute women. A handsome donation was given to them. A shopping was also arranged in the morning and afternoon. We visited “Varahi Devi Mandir by boat and also an underground cave temple called Guptheswar. We also saw Devi’s falls in the afternoon.

Due to the sudden change of climate at Mukhthinath people there could not return on time. However it was told that they had a good darshan of Sridevi, Bhoodevi sametha Lord Vishnu, also called Mukhthinath. They also visited places in and around the temple. Praying for the safe return of our co passengers we had a bhajan session in the evening at the resort. Lord answered our prayers and the whole group returned in the morning of

07-07-08 safely and were received at the airport. As prasadam, they brought 110 theertha prasadam and distributed to all of us

After reaching resort, all had breakfast we all left to cross Indo-Nepal border. On the way  we visited a temple in which the main deity is “Manakamana Devi—the wish fulfilling goddess” at Mungling by cable car (udan katola). Since the 17^th century, Manakamana Devi has been widely venerated all over Nepal because of the belief that she fulfills all wishes. This temple has a four-tiered pagoda style roof with the entrance facing south-west. The pujari performs daily rituals behind closed doors before allowing the public to enter. Journey to Manakamana can be exhilarating both spiritually and visually. Spectacular views from around the temple area include deep valleys, terraced fields as well as the Manaslu-Himalchuli and the Annapoorna ranges. It is located on top of a ridge overlooking the river valleys of Trisuli and Marshyangdi. This shrine is accessible in about 10 minutes with Nepal’s first cable car at a height of 3.06 km.

We crossed the Nepal border at about 19.00 hours and reached Gorakhpur station at about 1.30 hours in the night. On 08-07-08 by 7.30 hrs we left by train no 2521 Rapthisagar express to Ernakulam and reached safely here on 10-07-08 by about 23.00 hrs.

The group with which we went was very good and cooperative. We had persons to deliver religious lectures and doctors to give us medical advice on various subjects and many people to sing bhajans, chant slokas and this truly made the trip, so spiritual and enjoyable, both physically and mentally. A total harmony was maintained throughout the journey. In all, this trip to Nepal will remain evergreen in our memories. My heart-felt thanks to BHAKTHA SEVA SAMAJ and its organizers.

JAI PASHUPATHINATH: JAI MUKHTHINATH