Sabarimala Mandala puja was held successfully on 27 December. It marked the end of the 41-day Vratha (penance) period. The sanctum sanctorum was opened at 3 am, followed by Abhishekam and routine puja. The Mandala puja took place between 12.30 pm and 1 pm. Makaravilakku is on January 14.
Let us look at how unscientific and oppressive diktats messed up this year’s pilgrimage. The rush at Sabarimala Temple continues unabated and has become out of control, but the media is obsessed with Hundi collections only. Ayyappaswami devotees have to wait for 10 to 12 hours for Bhagwan’s darshan. Massive traffic jams are seen in the Pampa and Nilakkal areas. Crowds will only increase in the coming days leading up to Makaravilaku.
If conducted scientifically, there are facilities for parking thousands of vehicles and lakhs of devotees. There are allegations of a sinister motive behind the prevailing confusion at the world-famous temple in Kerala. Marxists are in cahoots with evil Abrahamics who have successfully imposed suffocating tactics to stifle lakhs of Hindu devotees.
The Marxist regime plans to reduce the number of devotees and wants to curb their vehicles. One lakh devotees are being squeezed in each day in smothering circumstances. Many have died, but the communists claim health issues like heart attacks.
There is concern that many devotees may not get darshan during this Mandala season. Hindu leaders are now examining what led to such a dire situation. They found that the authority’s decision to block Kananapatha (Kanam: Jungle, Patha: Path)(traditional tracks through the jungles) to the holy temple led to the current crisis and was avoidable.
Hindu devotees who moved on foot were blocked and forced to concentrate on the Pamba route. Though the central government has sanctioned 12 crore rupees for this path, the Kerala government still needs to complete the work from Pamba to Sannidhanam. This was done on purpose.
While the Kerala government shamelessly uses Sabarimala funds for Haj subsidies and salaries of madrassa teachers, they are also ready to accept central funds in the name of Sabarimala development. Kerala Public Works Department ensures these funds are rerouted for other causes.
Concrete slabs block the way, and devotees must manoeuvre past sharp and dangerous building materials on pavements just four meters wide. Haphazard waste disposal tractor movement adds to the crisis. The administration forcefully hurdled devotees to this route.
This year, devotees who have walked the traditional pilgrimage route for centuries are stopped at Koikakkav, Azhutha, and Mukkuzhi. These lanes enter the conventional path and have been used by lakhs for centuries to reach Swami Ayyappa’s abode. This obstruction is the reason for the current unmanageable rush.
These jungle paths act as safety valves for the Sabarimala temple. An estimated five to ten lakh pilgrims travelled to Sabarimala temple on foot through Kananapatha. Its closure led to the current rush of devotees. These lanes were closed for the first time in 2020, mentioning Covid. But the road was opened following the agitation of Janjatiya (Vanvasi)-Hindu organizations like the Mala Araya Maha Sabha.
The same negative tactics were used even in 2021. Several Kananapatha was blocked but were reopened following protests by janjatis (Vanvasis). This year the entry time was drastically cut, and devotees were blocked on Kananapatha.
This time the restrictions have been brought without providing any specific reasons. The first order was to block entry at Koikakkav at noon and from Mukkuzhi at 1 o’clock. Later it was extended by two and a half hours, but full-time access is still banned.
In the past, devotees travelled this path all day and night. Communists and Abrahamics unleashed widespread propaganda that there was a travel restriction on the Kananapatha. Such moves have created ambiguity and alienated devotees.
Guru Swamis (those who have undertaken the trek for a minimum of 18 trips) profess that a Sabarimala pilgrimage is never complete without an expedition through Kananapatha. Various rituals are involved before a devotee reaches Swami Ayyappa’s abode, Sannidhanam. The cruel intentions of those who imposed the restrictions were to destroy ancient Hindu rites.
The administration blocked these tracks and forced devotees to take the Pampa route. The present circumstance is a perfect example of how the authorities chose an unscientific approach to a spiritual centre. Directly and indirectly, Sabarimala generates crores of rupees during a pilgrimage to the state exchequer. The current political dispensation and the traders along the way (mostly Abrahamics) are interested only in the money that Hindu pilgrims bring in abundance.
P. K Sajeev (Mala Araya Maha Sabha General Secretary) has tracked the flow of devotees through the Kananapatha. He said that numbers suggest that the current regime is greedy and the Sabarimala temple is just another cash cow for the communists.
674,949 people trekked the Kananapatha in 2015, 531,849 in 2016, and 907,464 in 2017. Despite the floods, 255,942 in 2018 and 467,099 in 2019 arrived through this route, and crowds were under control. Even though there were Corona restrictions, lakhs of pilgrims reached Sannidhanam on foot until January 14, 2022, when Sabarimala closed after the last Mandala Pooja season.
Sajeev alleged that this year following a phone message from the Deputy Director of Periyar Tiger Reserve West Division, Idukki District Collector issued an order restricting travel to the Sabarimala temple on the Kananapatha route. Referring to the order, a warning board was put up to prevent the devotees from entering, and the forest department staff was stationed. Thus the restriction of travel on the path has suffocated the Sabarimala pilgrimage and made it lose relevance.
Today we are seeing the negative side effect of this unscientific diktat. Knowing the road was closed, lakhs of devotees abandoned their journey on foot and started pouring in vehicles to Erumeli, Nilakkal, and Pampa. Kerala State-owned public transport fleeced pilgrims mercilessly.
The people’s lives in and around the area came to a standstill. Even children could not reach school on time due to haphazard traffic management. Authorities hope to create resentment on the ground. They underestimate the power of Bhagwan Ayyappa at their own peril.
On 27 December, 39 days from the beginning of the pilgrimage season, 29 lakh pilgrims visited Sabarimala. About 20 per cent of the 29,08,500 odd pilgrims are children. Devotion to Ayyappa Swami drives the young (especially those on their first trip) through the jungle path, which remains blocked this year. If these tactics are not malicious, then we do not know what they are.
Where five to ten lakh pilgrims travelled annually on foot, only a few thousand were let through this year. From Erumeli to Peroorthod, Koikakkav, Kaalaketti, Azhutha, Kallidam Kunnu, Inchiparakotta, Mukkuzhi, Puthucherry, Karimala, Cheriyanavattam, Valiyanavattam, Pampa, Neelimala, Saramkuthi, and Sabaripeetha, there are several ancient places of worship along this route. Swami Ayyappan reached Sabarimala from Erumeli through these very traditional forest trails.
Every year, lakhs of devotees traverse this path barefoot. The Kananapatha, where devotees used to travel incessantly, where Sarana Mantras used to ring the air day and night, has been silenced this year and remains deserted. Some forest department officials created hurdles by creating time constraints and ambiguities. Sajeev alleged that there was a conspiracy behind this wicked move.
A trek from Erumeli to Pampa through Kananapatha is 31 km. From there, it is 4 km to Sabarimala. After offering prayers at Erumeli Sreedharmashasta Temple, devotees reach Peroor Thod and offer Malar. They then visit Irumboonnikkara Shiva Temple and Subramanyaswamy Temple.
Once devotees reach Koikakkav and worship the mountain deity, they wash coconuts and offer them to Bhagwan. They move to Arasumudi Fort, where they again offer washed coconuts to please Bhagwan Shiva. The next stop is Kalaketti, deep inside one of the 18 holy mountains. Pilgrims rest at Talappara Hill since Bhagwan Sri Ayyappan came and rested here. This place accommodates around ten thousand devotees in rustic comfort.
Pilgrims move to Kaalaketti and take a dip in the holy river Azhutha. They collect a stone and climb up Kallittamkunnu, salute, and pray. At Inchipara mountain (another one of the 18 holy hills), coconuts and Vedivazhipaadu offerings are made. Gunpowder is used, and Vedivazhipaadu provides devotees with family prosperity, longevity, excellent health, etc.
At Mukkuzhi Devi Temple, pilgrims offer Kali Pooja and rest there. This place accommodates five thousand. The next trek takes pilgrims to Puthucherry, where they worship Puthusherry Mundan, cross the river, and offer prayers burning camphor. This place accommodates ten thousand.
Next comes Karimala, where devotees pick leaves and burn camphor. While climbing Karimala, they offer turmeric to Bhagavathi Mayeki Devi, and after reaching the top worship, Karimala Murthy. It is from here that a Young Swami Ayyappan joined a group of tigers, mounted them, and the group went to Pandalam.
Sabarimala traditions and rituals continue, and true Ayyappa Swami devotees are familiar with them. HinduPost found that if previous restrictions were under cover of Covid, the current ones have been brought without giving any reasons.
By stifling devotees unable to reach these places of worship, communists and Abrahamics believe these temples will go into the oblivion of history. They hope to destroy the tremendous ancient Hindu culture using such crude means. Regulators are complicit in this evil scheme.
Kananapatha was blocked with just a phone call disrespecting ancient Hindu traditions. This misdeed caused untold grief and suffering among the devotees and suffocated the Sabarimala temple. Unless authorities rectify their mistakes urgently, they will not be able to control the lakhs of devotees who come for Makara Vilakku and facilitate trouble-free darshan.
Hindus have long requested the central government to take over the Sabarimala temple. Painful as it may seem, Hindu apathy has caused this crisis. Abrahamics would have easily chosen violence had the government chosen similar tactics in their places of worship.
