Mandalapooja ; A holy Fasting of Forty-one days

Mandalapooja is one of the major festivals in South India. It is observed with high religious sentiments during the pilgrim season between November and January. The festival is related to Sabarimala, the abode of the Hindu God, lord Ayyappa. The temple is situated in the hilly area of pristine and scenic beauty at an altitude of about 3500 feet, in Pathanamthitta district of Kerala. The important part of the festival is the pilgrimage to Sabarimala. Devotees adhere to forty-one days of austerities and penance and prepare themselves wearing the rosary and do the poojas, chanting Ayyappa hymns and meditating everyday and live like a celibate. They abstain from all sensual pleasures and take only vegetarian food during this pilgrim season namely Mandalakaalam. The male devotees are called ‘ayyappan’ and the female devotees are called ‘malikappuram’. This is the rarest of festivals in which the god and devotee are called by the same name. females between the age of 10 to 50 are not allowed to Sabarimala. Every year a growing number of 3-4 million devotees visit Sabarimala during this season. Regardless of caste, creed,colour or religion everyone wears black dhotis and carry on their heads, bundles called ‘irumudikkettu’ containing traditional offerings like coconut filled with ghee, camphor and rice. The temple is inundated with pilgrims from all across India. Ayyappans move in small groups in the leadership of a ‘guruswami’ and reach Pamba. They take a holy dip in the river Pamba which is considered to be absolving sin. From Pamba, the temple is accessible only by foot. One has to treck about 4km to reach th final 18 steps called ‘pathinettaampadi’ the final steps before getting the holy view of lord Ayyappa.
In addition to the mandala kaalam, the Ayyappa temple remains open only on the 1st day of every Malayalam month and on the day of Vishu festival. Lord Ayyappa is considered as the union of the lord Vishnu and the lord Shiva, the god of preservation and god of destruction respectively. Hence Ayyappa is considered to be the bestower of limitless blessings in Kaliyuga and thus called Kaliyugavarada.

Author : Shaiju