Our nation is a land of many temples--big and small, ancient and new, prosperous and penurious, well-maintained and neglected. A temple is a place of worship with some unique features and spiritual significance.
One such temple is SABARIMALAI. The temple is designed to indicate to the devotees, the path that man has to follow to evolve him spiritually, so as to reach the ultimate goal of self-realisation. The location of this temple, its plan of construction and elevation all these have specific significance. Sabarimalai is located on top of a hill, confined to a height; access to it is not very easy, generally meant to highlight the fact that spiritualism is something that is well above mundane and earthly aspects of life, that one has to go through a fairly difficult and strenuous path to attain that level of spirituality.
Reclaiming Kerala from the sea, sage Parasurama installed Devi in shrines along the west coast and Sastha in 18 shrines on the hills on the east for protection of this “God’s own land”. The statuette was installed in Sabarimalai by sage Parasurama. Rishi Agasthya directed the construction of this shrine and the conduct of poojas there. Lord Dharmasastha has said that the sanctity of the Sabari hills would be same as Varanasi and the near by holy Pamba river would equal mother Ganges in sanctity. KUMBALAM THODU is a small stream near the Sabari hill through which courses the water offered for abhishekam to Dharmasastha at Kantha malai. A dip in the water of Pamba and Kumbalam Thodu is believed to purify one of all sins.
To go through the long route to Sabarimalai, one has to reach ERUMELI which is about 26 miles from Kottayam. The majority of pilgrims going to Sabarimalai touch Erumeli before proceeding to the destination. At KOTTAPPADI (gateway) there is a Mahaganapathy temple. To the west of it is installed Vavar--Sastha’s lieutenant, on the western side of the stream coursing through Erumeli. Sastha is installed as a KIRADHA (hunter). Most of the pilgrims going to Sabarimalai go to Erumeli where they obtain the permission of Ganapathy at Kottappadi to trek their track, pay their respects to Vavar, and make offerings at the mosque and surrender themselves at the feet of Kiradha Sastha. The pilgrims come out dressed as a hunter applying coloured powders on the body, carrying arrows and dance there. This is called Pettai Thullal.
The distance from Erumeli to Sabarimalai is said to be 41 miles. Sabarimalai is on the Western Ghats 4000 ft above sea level. Four miles to the south-east of Sabarimalai is the confluence of the rivers Kallar and Pamba. This place is called “Triveni” as Kallar is regarded as Yamuna, Pamba as Ganges and Saraswathi is believed to join the flow from underneath, even as at Prayag in Allahabad
Four miles east of Triveni, is a place on the bank of the river Pamba called CHALAKKAYAM. A good tar road, fit for all vehicular traffic joins Chalakkayam and Triveni. Many people go to Sabarimalai via Chalakkayam. Fourteen miles north-west of Sabarimalai is the Mount estate. Crossing the estate we come to VANDIPERIYAR, which is on the Kottayam-Kumili road. Many pilgrims go to Sabarimalai by this route also. Besides the three routes mentioned above, THALAPARAI route and PATHANAMTHITTA route are also used. The PONNAMBALAMEDU route and the DAM SITE route are seldom used. The forest track from Acchankoil to Sabarimala is not used.
The first mentioned long route from Erumeli to Sabarimala is the traditional route. This was the route by which the Lord, as per the story, went for leopard’s milk for the cure of his foster mother. Through this route when Lord went he was met by the bhoothaganams which turned into leopards. Indira turned into a tiger for Lord to ride on his back to PANDALAM. This was the route by which king Rajashekara went to the spot pointed out to him by the Lord’s arrow for construction of the shrine.
The pilgrims trekking the long route have to cross seven streams, and climb 18 hills in the course of covering the distance. The first stream they have to cross is PERAITHODU two miles east of Erumeli through a bridge that has been thrown across. On the western side of the stream there is an old elephant cage called ANAKOTTIL. Many pilgrims stay one night at Anakottil before proceeding further. The first hill the pilgrims have to climb is the PERAIKUNNU--going up 800 ft and climb down 500 ft on the other side to reach the foot of the hill. As we see here, in all the eighteen hills the ascent is more than the descent on the opposite side. Thus each hill represents a step. Each hill top is called a “fort”. Each fort is guarded by an “Amnaya Devata” of the Lord and is fit for the pilgrims’ camping during night halt en route.
The pilgrims trekking the route are said to be in the safe custody of Devi and Bhoothanatha. From Erumeli to top of the Azhutha hill, Devi is said to be safe guarding the pilgrims. From there to the top of Karimalai, Bhoothanatha is said to be safe guarding the pilgrims. From there to Pamba, Devi is again said to take charge. And from Pamba to Sabarimalai, Bhoothanatha is said to take charge again.
A trek of the long route helps to cure diseases like rheumatism, phlegm and piles. From Peraithodu to Azhutha hills, all the flora on either side make the atmosphere charged with medicine. As you breathe more than usual when you climb, the medicine-charged air enters your lungs, which cures. So it will be good, if you spend one night in this atmosphere. A 12-mile walk from Erumeli to Azhutha, and a dip in the Azhutha River
After crossing Peraikunnu, you come to a place called ARIYAKUDI. Eight miles away from Peraithodu is Kalaketti ashram. Two miles from it is the Alasa River
While immersing in the water of Azhutha, each one is asked to take a small pebble and keep it with them. Fording cross the river, the pilgrim starts climbing the Azhutha Medu. At the corner of the left curve, is a big flat rock that is said to be the kallidunkunnu. The pilgrims are asked to deposit the pebble they picked up from the river in this kunnu. It is believed that they are putting them to inter (bury) the body of Mahishi. Climbing up the Azhutha Medu, the pilgrims reach the place called Udumparakotta where Bhoothanatha is the presiding deity. Moving further, the pilgrim reaches the southern end of the plateau called Injiparakotta where the presiding deity is Devi. The pilgrim descends from the hill to reach Mukkuzhi. Many pilgrims have a night halt here.
There is another route though a little longer from Azhutha to Mukkuzhi on the northern side. The pilgrims going by this route can avoid climbing up and down the Azhutha Medu, though they have to walk a little longer. From Mukkuzhi, they come to Elavanthavalam, where they can have a halt and then go to Pudhucheri and Karivalanthodu. Leaving Karivalanthodu, the pilgrims proceed to the foot of Karimalai. Ascending Karimalai the pilgrims camp on its top. Here there is a perennial spring believed to be the result of the thrust of Lord’s arrow into the ground to find water for his followers. At the foot of Karimalai on the other side, is the sacred river Pamba. The pilgrims halt in Chiriyanavattam or Veliyanavattam. Pilgrims have a halt for a day or two. They take dip in the river Pamba, absolve themselves of all sins, and do poojas and bhajans there. They also do religious rites to the departed souls of their ancestors. They do annadhanam and give away clothes and money.
The pilgrims have a darshan of Pamba Ganapathy. Then they proceed to the Sabari hills with vibhuthi, sandal paste and kumkum on their forehead. At every stage of trek, the rear half of the pilgrim’s irumudi gets smaller and smaller. By the time he reaches the Sabari hills, the rear half completely empties--symbolizing that his prarabdha karmas are over.
Leaving Pamba, the pilgrim climbs up the Neeli Malai, climbs Appachi Medu, walks past Sabari Peetam, crosses Saranguthi where the Lord Bhoothanatha’s arrow struck a pipal tree to show king Rajashekara the spot for his shrine, and reaches THE SANNIDHANAM. He climbs the holy 18 steps, gets over the 18 thatvas and reaches his destination--the Lord’s abode. At the entrance, the pilgrim sees a homakundam in which camphor is burnt in quintals. Pilgrims put camphor in the kundam prays that as camphor burns and merges in Brahmam leaving no residue, nothing of his prarabdham should be left over.
The ghee-filled coconut is broke open, the ghee taken out and offered for abhishekam. This abhishekam symbolizes the merge of the Jeevathma in the Paramathma, which is indicated by the Lord’s “chinmudra” on His right hand. The pointing finger is the Jeevathma and the thumb is the Paramathma. The broken coconut is then put in the Ganapathi kundam and burnt. Then the pilgrim makes all other offerings to the Lord, his Sakthi Manjamatha and to all his lieutenants. On reaching home, the pilgrim unties the irumudi which contains only the prasadam and distributes it to all.
Thus, the pilgrimage to Sabarimala is the external expression of the internal process.
Throughout the route, pilgrims are provided facilities like boiled and spiced water, medical aids and other necessary help by the AKHILA BHARATHA AYYAPPA SEVA SANGAM and also the DEVASVOM BOARD. These services are to be hailed. All pilgrims are requested to keep the surroundings of the Sannidhanam and the route to it, clean and green for their own well-being and the well-being of the fellow pilgrims.
Courtesy: Sastha Mahathmiyam
SWAMIYE SARANAM AYYAPPA
No comments:
Post a Comment