Sabarimala The sacred Abode of Lord Ayyappa
Subarimala is one of the most important pilgrim centres of the State. The holy shrine nestles at an altitude of 914m in the rugged terrains of Western Ghats, surrounded by dense forest teeming with exotic wildlife species. It is regarded as the third richest temple in India and considering the number of days it is open in a year, the shrine is perhaps the richest. The temple stays open from November to mid January in April and during the first five days of each month of the Malayalam calendar. Lord Ayyappa, the presiding deity is known as Sastha in the puranas and is also referred as Harihara Puthran, as he is believed to be the son of Mohini ( the female form of Lord Vishnu) and Lord Siva. Devotees of all religious faiths can worship here, but entry to the shrine is restricted for women between the ages of 10 and 50 years. Traditionally, the devotees who wish to undertake a holy pilgrimage to Sabrimala observe 41 days of penance, following strict celibacy, morning and evening ablutions, growing of beard accompanied by daily prayers. The final 18 steps leading to the main sanctum are sheathed in panchaloha, an alloy of five metals. Each step represents a sin that a devotee renounces on setting a foot on it. Millions of pilgrims assemble here during the most arduous festivals called as ‘Vishnu Vilakku’ in April, ‘Makaravilakku’ in mid January, coinciding with Sankramam.
Reaching There
Sabarimala lies in Pathanamthitta district. The traditional route is from Erumeli (40km) in Kottayam district. It has 51km walk from Erumeli to Pampa. From Pampa the trekking route goes via Nelimala, Appachimedu, and Sabaripeedom to Sannidhanam, the abode of Ayyapa. Other routes are from Vandiperiyar, Uppupara and Chalakkayam Via Plappally. These routes are famous for their scenic splendour and mythological value. Vehicular traffic is only up to Pampa, located 7km from the holy shine. Pampa is 210km from Thiruvananthapuram.
Sabarimala Distance Guide |
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| Sabarimala | Changannassery | 50 Km |
| Sabarimala | Guruvayur | 211 Km |
| Sabarimala | Kaladi | 149 Km |
| Sabarimala | Kalpetta | 391 Km |
| Sabarimala | Kannur | 405 Km |
| Sabarimala | Kasaragod | 494 Km |
| Sabarimala | Kochi | 139 Km |
| Sabarimala | Kodungallor | 169 Km |
| Sabarimala | Kollam | 126 Km |
| Sabarimala | Kottayam | 68 Km |
| Sabarimala | Kovalam | 182 Km |
| Sabarimala | Kozhikode | 319 Km |
| Sabarimala | Malappuram | 281 Km |
| Sabarimala | Munnar | 210 Km |
| Sabarimala | Muvattupula | 122 Km |
| Sabarimala | Painavu | 129 Km |
| Sabarimala | Palakkad | 265 Km |
| Sabarimala | Alappuzha | 75 Km |
| Sabarimala | Shoranur | 236 Km |
| Sabarimala | Sultan Bathery | 416 Km |
| Sabarimala | Thalassery | 383 Km |
| Sabarimala | Thiruvananthapuram | 169 Km |
| Sabarimala | Thrissur | 171 Km |
| Sabarimala | Vaikam | 104 Km |