Sabarimala Temple

Sabarimala Sree Ayyappan Temple
The temple of Ayyappan in Sabarimala, Kerala
Religion
AffiliationHinduism
DistrictPathanamthitta
DeityAyyappan
FestivalsMakaravilakku, Makara Sankranti (14th January)
Governing bodyTravancore Devaswom Board
Location
LocationSabarimala
StateKerala
CountryIndia
Sabarimala Temple is located in Kerala
Sabarimala Temple
Sabarimala Temple (Kerala)
Sabarimala Temple is located in India
Sabarimala Temple
Sabarimala Temple (India)
Geographic coordinates9°26′04.6″N 77°04′53.0″E / 9.434611°N 77.081389°E / 9.434611; 77.081389
Architecture
TypeKerala Architecture (Traditional Kerala Vastu Shastra)
CreatorAs per tradition Vishwakarma, Pandhalam King Rajasekhara, (sculptor) is believed to be Parashurama
Completed11th century; the temple site is older
Elevation1,260 m (4,134 ft)
Website
sabarimala.kerala.gov.in

The Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple[1] (Malayalam pronunciation: [ʃabəɾimala]) is a Hindu temple that is devoted to the worship of a deity named Ayyappan, also known as Dharma Shasta. Ayyappan is believed to be the son of Shiva and Mohini (Female avatar of Lord Vishnu).[2] The temple is situated atop a hill in the village of Ranni-Perunad, within the Ranni Taluk of the Pathanamthitta district in the state of Kerala, India. The temple is surrounded by 18 hills in the Periyar Tiger Reserve.[3] It is one of the largest annual pilgrimage sites in the world, with an estimate of over 10 to 15 million devotees visiting every year.[4][5][6][7]

The temple is open for worship only during the days of Mandala Pooja (approximately 15 November to 26 December),[8] Makaravilakku or "Makara Sankranti" (14 January), and Maha Thirumal Sankranti (14 April), and the first five days of each Malayalam month. The Sabarimala pilgrimage includes a unique tradition of offering prayer at the mosque of Vavar, a Muslim devotee of Ayappan.[9] The Sabarimala Temple serves as a prime example of the amalgamation of several religious traditions within the Indian context.[10]

In the year 1991, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was initiated, leading to the Kerala High Court issuing a directive to the Devaswom Board to uphold the traditional practises of the temple. These practises encompassed the prohibition of women of a certain age group, rather than a blanket exclusion of women, from accessing the temple premises.

On September 28, 2018, the Supreme Court of India rendered a decision, wherein a panel consisting of four male justices and one female judge voted by a majority of 4-1 to invalidate the prohibition on female entry inside the temple, where the female judge, Justice Indu Malhotra, voted in favor of the prohibition.

  1. ^ "Home | Sabarimala". sabarimala.kerala.gov.in. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  2. ^ "Mohini – The Only Female Avatar of Lord Vishnu". Vedicfeed. 4 August 2019.
  3. ^ "The Story Of Sabarimala: Origin, Beliefs And Controversy Over Women Entry". NDTV.com. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  4. ^ "Why millions throng Sabarimala shrine". DailyBhaskar. 15 January 2011. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  5. ^ "Indo-Americans shocked at Sabarimala tragedy". Sify. Archived from the original on 15 May 2011. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  6. ^ "Record collection at Sabarimala". The Hindu. 27 December 2014. Archived from the original on 21 October 2018.
  7. ^ "Women to enter Sabarimala temple today: Weird laws against women from all over the world". India Today. 28 September 2018.
  8. ^ "Sabarimala Temple Opening Dates 2018 to 2019 – Chennaivision". Chennaivision. 1 January 2018. Archived from the original on 13 January 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  9. ^ Kumar, KP Narayana. "Before arriving at Sabarimala temple in Kerala, devotees visit a mosque". The Economic Times. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  10. ^ CK, Faisal (20 November 2018). "Sabarimala epitomises confluence of various faiths in India". National Herald. Retrieved 2 November 2023.

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