The Holy Hill

Ayyappa is a God known to very few outside of Kerala. He is actually an avatara of Dharma Shasta who is mentioned in the Bhagavad Purana to be a progeny of both Shiva and Vishnu. How two male gods could have a child is explained in the story as given in the Purana.  However the esoteric fact is that though Dharma Shastha is a mythological figure, Ayyappa was a normal human being like Rama and Krishna. He was the Prince of a small kingdom called Pandalam in Kerala. The story goes that the king was anxious to have a son and one day when he went hunting he found a baby in the forest and brought him up as his own son and proclaimed him as heir apparent. He was called Manikanda since he was wearing a small silver bell on his neck when he was found. When Manikanda was twelve years old, the queen bore a son and the Prime Minister plotted with her to dispose of Manikanda. She pretended to be suffering from an incurable headache for which the only remedy as prescribed by the court physician was a powder that had to be mixed with tiger’s milk! Manikanda immediately offered to go to the forest and get a female tiger. The king was desperate and did not want him to go but the queen insisted and Manikanda went to the forest and returned riding on a tigress with many other tigers following him!

When they saw this miracle everyone including the queen realised that he was not an ordinary human being but the divine in human form. At that time there was a terrible Muslim pirate called Vavar who went up and down the coast of Kerala in a boat. He would swoop down on the coastal towns and loot and pillage all the villages along the shore. Nobody could stop him. It is said that Manikanda subdued him not with force of arms but in a miraculous manner so that Vavar gave up his evil life and became his staunch follower.

At the same time there was a brigand called Udayan who had his outposts in the Neeli Hills. The old temple to Dharma Shasta was in these hills. Udayan desecrated the temple and killed the priest. The priest’s son had escaped and vowed to avenge the murder of his father.

After this Udayan decided to kidnap the king’s sister called Maya Devi so that he would have some royal credentials for himself. However the priest’s son forestalled his plan and ran away with Maya Devi. They got married secretly. They were terrified of coming out in the open since they knew that Udayan had given orders that they were to be killed on sight. They lived a highly ascetic life in the forest and prayed to Dharma Shasta to be born as their son and punish Udayan and restore the temple. In due time a baby was born to them. They wondered how they could bring up the baby in a manner fitting to his status. In Kerala the matriarchal line is followed by the royal family, so the king’s sister son was the lawful heir to the throne. Manikanda was in fact the Prince of the kingdom of Pandala and fit to be the king! When they heard that the King had come to the forest they left their baby there so that the King could find him. The King as we have seen adopted the baby and brought him up as his own son. This is the historical story behind his birth which was revealed to the King much later.

After having subdued Vavar, Manikanda turned his attention to Udayan. He collected a motley crew of his faithful followers. Hearing this, all the petty chieftains of the land decided to join him in order to rout Udayan. Manikanda was the head of the brigade and assembled all of them at a place called Alangad. He made a rousing call to everyone to join him in restoring the ancient laws of Dharma that had been violated by Udayan who had desecrated the temple of Dharma Shasta and robbed all those who were living in those hills. He urged them to take a forty-one day vow in which they had to follow certain strict rules that were laid out by him. They had to get up at 4 am and take a bath and do their sadhana before starting the day. Non-vegetarian food and alcohol was taboo. Celibacy had to be practiced for the duration of these forty-one days. These rules are still followed by all true pilgrims to Shabarimala to this very day. It was only after this that everyone started to call him Ayyappa, which means “Father and Lord.” He was a living example to all of them as to how a true sadhu should live. He was true to the principles of unity that he preached. Different castes and religions were with him. Everyone is a child of god and has to be treated with equal respect. Hence you find that the Shabarimala temple is unique in Kerala since everyone regardless of caste and creed, is allowed to enter and worship at the temple.

The crusaders had to carry a bundle on their heads in which they kept the things they might need. This was the forerunner of the present “irumudi” which all pilgrims to Shabarimala carry on their heads. Every bundle has two portions, one carrying their necessities and the other the offerings to the temple, main amongst which was a coconut filled with ghee. The hard shell of the coconut is a symbol of our ego- filled body which each pilgrim has to break open when they reach the temple. The ghee, which is a symbol of their love which is inside the coconut, is then poured over the murti. This practice is continued to this very day. This also symbolic of the merging of the jeevatma with the Paramatma.

Ayyappa himself placed the bundle known as “irumudi” on the heads of his followers for the first time on that historic occasion. Just at that time the Brahminy kite which is the vehicle of Lord Vishnu was seen to be circling over the heads of the army. It followed them all the way. The army was well aware that theirs was a crusade against adharma and God in the form of Ayyappa was leading them. Needless to say they defeated Udayan and returned triumphant. Now came the task of restoring the temple. He told his father that this temple would be known as “Shabarimala” in future and arranged for it to be constructed on the site of the old temple to Dharma Shasta that had been vandalised by Udayan.

When the temple was complete Ayyappa said that he would now take his residence at the temple. The king was distraught when he heard this and begged his son to be crowned before he left so that he would have the pleasure of seeing him adorned in all his glory. Ayyappa agreed and he was crowned as heir apparent. His father was in agony when he took off his ornaments. Seeing his distress, Ayyappa told his father that every year on the 1st day of Makara (December/January) he could bring the ornaments to the temple and adorn the murti in the temple. They could remain there for seven days and had to be removed and brought back to the king’s treasury where they would be safely kept till the next year. This is done to this very day. As the procession carrying the casket with the jewels sets out from the King’s palace in Pandlam, a Brahminy kite is seen to be circling round the heads of the runners who are carrying the jewels. It escorts the procession right up to the temple which is a journey of three days! This happens every year. Ayyappa was born under the star known as Uttara Phalguni and this star is seen to rise over the temple on this day when the idol is adorned with the jewels.

After the coronation was over it is said that Ayyappa went to the temple that had been constructed and sat and meditated on the manimandapam in front of the temple. When the time came for the installation of the idol Ayyappa entered the sanctum sanctorum along with the priest. The door was closed and later when it was opened for the arati, there was only the priest and no signs of Ayyappa who had merged into the idol. Concurring simultaneously with the arati or waving of lights in the sanctum a miracle occurs on the hill exactly opposite the temple. A huge flame is seen to go up and come down three times. This is known as the “Makara Jyoti” and is a yearly miracle witnessed by thousands of pilgrims who swarm to the temple on this day in order to witness this incredible sight. The hill opposite is known as Ponnambalam and it is said that the gods come there every year to make their offering on this special occasion.

There are many rules to be followed before one can go to this temple.  Ayyappa was a Naishtika  brahmachari  a total celibate hence all those who went to the temple had to follow the rules that he himself had decreed at the time of the first march to the Neeli hills where the temple is situated. All pilgrims have to don black clothes and take a forty-one day vow before going to the temple. They have to wear a mala made of tulsi or rudraksha beads. From the day of wearing the mala they have to observe the vow of chastity and vegetarianism. They have to wake up at Brahma Muhurtam – 4 am and visit some temple. Whichever temple they went they would only say “Swamiye Sharanamayyappa!” They would address each other and all others as “Swami” meaning “holy one.” They saw only Ayyappa in all the different deities and in all people. The pilgrimage is symbolic for the journey of the jeevatma to the Paramatma and the realisation that all living beings are in essence nothing but the Brahman and so the pilgrims refer to each other as Swami, thus acknowledging their divinity. For forty-one days every pilgrim becomes a “swami” or a “yogi” – a holy person. Perhaps Ayyappa had hoped that after living such a holy life for forty-one days the devotee would get a taste for spiritual life and stop running after sensual pleasures!

This is one of the reasons that women between the ages of ten and fifty (menstruating period) were debarred from going to the temple. Obviously they would not be able to complete the forty-day vow.

Even though the forests round the mountain had a lot of tigers and wild animals, it is an amazing thing that during the pilgrim season no tigers are to be found around the hill. But on the other hand there are many stories of how those who had flouted the rules of the forty-one day vow, especially the one pertaining to celibacy, were found to be missing during the hazardous trek up the mountain. Millions of devotees still follow the traditional mountainous forest path (approximately 61 km) from Erumely, 12.8 km from Vandiperiyar and 8 km from Chalakayam, believed to have been the route taken by Ayyappa on that memorable occasion. This is another important reason why young women were debarred from going to the temple. During this hazardous trek, the minds of the male pilgrims were sure to waver and drop from their vow of chastity if they saw young women or had them jostling with each other as they clambered up!

It is important to understand that a Hindu temple is not just a place of worship like a church or mosque but it is the abode of the deity. The stone idol has been imbued with the power of the deity through a sacred rite known as prana prathishta. It is no longer a stone but the living deity itself. Every devotee can have personal contact with the deity himself. Just as every house has its own rules and regulations, every temple also has its rules and regulations which have been followed from time immemorial. The Kerala women have never had any problem with this rule at any time since they were well aware of the esoteric reason behind it. But today there has been a concerted effort by the existing communist government to break the will of the Hindus by forcing them to flout the rules of the temples. There is no doubt that Ayyappa himself will take a hand in this and allow the old order to be retained.

There are eighteen steps leading to the temple, which have a great esoteric importance. In no other place have the steps to a temple been given such great prominence. Manikandan had told his father that the entrance to the temple should have eighteen steps. The king had immediately asked him for the esoteric significance of the steps and this is what he had told his father.

These steps represent the eighteen tattvas or traits, which go to make up the human personality. These are the indriyas or five senses, the eight ragas (kama, krodha, lobha, moha, mada, matsarya, mamta and abhimana, lust, anger, greed, infatuation, attachment, competition, selfishness and pride, which are the primary emotions), the three gunas, (sattva, rajas and tamas), and wisdom and ignorance (vidya and avidya). These steps can be climbed only by those who have kept the forty-one day vow and are clothed in black and carry the bundle on their heads.

This temple is unique in many ways. It’s not open all through the year since Ayyappa prefers to be left in solitude most of the time. It is kept open only for the first week of every Malayalam month. Then it is kept open during the Mandalam festival that lasts for forty-one days from November 15th to December 26th. Then it closes and opens again on the 1st January and remains open till the 14th January, known as Makara Sankranti when the sun starts it journey back to the North. This is the day when the famous light known as “Makara Jyoti” is seen on the opposite hill. It also opens for a few days during the Kerala New Year known as Vishnu on April 14th which corresponds to the vernal equinox.

Every night after the last puja a beautiful lullaby to the Lord known as Harivarasanam, is sung. This is actually a Sanskrit poem composed by Kambangudi Srinivasa Iyer who used to recite it daily after the final puja. Now it has become the norm to sing this after the night puja. There are many versions of this song sung by many people but the one which is being played at the temple is the one rendered by the great singer, K.J Yesudas, who though a Christian is an ardent devotee of Lord Ayyappa.

Now let me relate my own experiences in Shabarimala. My first visit was when I was in my thirties. At that time young women were allowed to go through the back steps to the temple. They were not allowed to climb up the famous eighteen steps in front of the temple. In fact many of the tribal women living in the forests around the temple used to go through the back entrance but of course no young woman ever went for the “Makaravilakku” day when the “makara jyoti” or light on the opposite hill was seen and so many other miracles took place. Kerala women never had any problem with this since they understood the necessity for such rules.

My first visit was a thrilling experience for me. We had not gone by the long route since again this would have taken many days and posed a lot of difficulties for me. So we drove to the Pamba River and climbed through the forest from there. Before the climb we took a bath in the river which is considered to be as holy as the Ganga. This is where Sri Rama and Lakshmana took a bath on their trek to discover Sita. Then we prayed at the Ganesha temple where we were given a tulsi mala. This route was only about 18 kilometres and was really exciting. I love to walk through jungles and could well imagine tigers or bears popping up from the bushes. It was almost a solitary walk since I had gone in the off season where there were hardly anyone around so I could sit in front of the deity and meditate to my heart’s content. It is difficult to describe the experience in gross words. I was transported to another realm in which neither I nor Ayyappa or the temple or anything else existed. This was an experience which I have had only in very few temples that I had visited. In those days there were no hotels or places where one could stay. There were some tribals who would make a sort of hut with bamboos and leaves but those who were with me were not anxious to stay in such places so unfortunately we had to return to Pamba.

I went once again with my young 12 year old daughter and again there was no problem. We went by the back steps and had a wonderful darshan. There is a very special vibration in this temple which can only be experienced. I felt that I was back in those times when the whole place was a forest and there was the broken down temple of Dharma Shasta and the gory scene where Udayan cut off the head of the priest. I could see the young boy who would become the father of Manikanda peeping through the bushes with tears rolling down his eyes, vowing vengeance on the brutal murderer of his father.

The third time I went was with my granddaughter. I was over fifty and had done the 41 day vow and was wearing black. I was carrying the “irumudi” on my head, with two sections, one carrying my personal needs, the other carrying the coconut and other things to be offered. This had been put on our heads by the Guruswamy at the Ganesha temple at Pamba. The rule is that once the bundle is put on your head, you should never take it off till you reach the sanctum sanctorum! This was totally another experience. My heart was bursting with joy for I felt as if I was walking with Ayyappa beside me. The shadowy figures of his generals, Vavar and Kochu Kadutha and so many others filled with the divine aspiration to cleanse this holy land of adharma and reinstate the age old dharma of our ancient culture were walking with me.  As I reached the first step of the holy eighteen steps, tears were rolling down my eyes as I reached down and touched the step with my right hand and placed it reverentially on my forehead, while my left clutched the bundle on my head. It was an exalting experience to climb up those steps. With every step I took I felt my old habits and negativity falling off. At last at the top I looked at that figure immersed in bliss sitting inside the sanctum. He sits in one of the most difficult asanas – pattabandhasana. Only one other god sits in this asana and that is “Narasimha” – the man-lion avatara of Lord Vishnu. In those days when the temple was relatively empty it was possible to stand for some time right in front and gaze at him. We could offer the coconut to the priest who would break it open and pour the ghee over the murti. This sort of thing is impossible now because the place is bristling with police men and women who keep herding you and forcing you to move forward.

My last and perhaps final visit was some years back. It was already evening when we reached Pamba. There we were given the irumudi and the mala and asked to go up. We had planned to reach for the final arati but it was already too late. However Ayyappa had planned another wonderful experience for me. There were concrete steps going up all the way that were lighted up intermittently. There was also a track without lights which I preferred. Suddenly the plaintive strain of that most beautiful lullabye –Harivarasanam, that is sung for the Lord every night after the final puja swept through the darkness and mystery of the mountainside. It was really mesmerising. I just stood stock still and let the music flow over me like a benediction. Tears flowed unbidden. I didn’t even bother to wipe them since I was not even aware of it. My heart was filled to the brim and I felt  His love flowing from my eyes.

I can hardly remember the rest of that trip. Since I was travelling with a government official, there was a hotel room and next morning there was a police escort etc but to me all that was nothing. I had received his full blessing like a balm flowing over me on that dark mountainside and my heart was full. I needed nothing else.

Swamiye Sharanamayyappa!