Millions set to undertake Sabarimala pilgrimage
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(Thiruvananthapuram,
Nov 14)
Millions of
devotees will begin an arduous journey to the hill temple of Sabarimala in
Kerala as one of the biggest pilgrimages in India kicks off
Wednesday.
The Ayyappa temple
situated in the Western Ghats at an altitude of 914 metres above sea level has
become one of the most famous Hindu pilgrim centres and has earned itself the
tag of the Mecca of Hindus.
It
is four kilometres uphill from the Pamba river in Pathanamthitta district of
central Kerala and is accessible only on foot - usually devotees go barefoot -
from the river. But the tough journey does not seem to deter pilgrims who last
year numbered 32 million, mostly from southern
India.
Even though the temple
is now open throughout the year, the peak pilgrim season begins on the first day
of the Malayalam month Vrischika. It will go on till the third week of January
next year.
Sabarimala is a
goldmine for the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which runs the temple, with
earnings in cash and kind crossing a record $12 million
annually.
The temple is
dedicated to Lord Ayyappa and besides men, only those women who have reached
menopause and girls who have not attained puberty are allowed to enter it.
The more serious pilgrims,
before setting off for the holy shrine, normally undertake an intense 41-day
penance. They don't wear sandals, sport black dhotis and remain on a strictly
vegetarian diet.
Pilgrims
carry ghee and coconuts. The coconuts are broken at the temple and the ghee is
ceremoniously poured on the icon of Ayyappa. When the ghee anoints the deity,
it symbolises the unity of the pilgrim's soul with the essence of god.
The state government has made
elaborate preparations for the
season.
"Every year, the number
of pilgrims is increasing and last year those who came here was equivalent to
the population of Kerala. This year the number of pilgrims is expected to go up
even further," said Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.
"We have set up several new
facilities and thanks to the efforts of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, we have
got more land for developmental activities at the base camp and also at the top
of the hill. This is certainly going to help pilgrims get a comfortable
darshan."
G. Raman Nair, the
TDB president, said: "We have adequate healthcare facilities for the pilgrims
who undertake the pilgrimage. We have erected temporary sheds for the pilgrims
and this could save them from bad weather conditions."
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