Jai Gurudev !!
As a small girl , I had always had an admiration to the Lord Aiyyappa Swamy , reading His Birth Story and hearing His Fame. My father used to make the pilgrimage to Sabarimala every year , observing fast . I used to attend the Aiyappa Swamy Bhajans too . Those devotional songs like "Villaathi Veerane , Veera Manikandane !! , Kallum mullum kaalukku meththai" etc always make a reverberation in my heart . The words would be very catchy and inspirational too !!
And my younger brother , who is now no more also was belived to have born because of Aiyappa Swamy's Grace after praying to Him , my parents say. My father then had taken my brother , when he was hardly six or seven years old in the long route of 48 km walking and trekking the Sabari hills. My brother always used to fondly cherish those memoirs, as his "Irumudi " or the baggage carrying the Rice and Coconut filled with ghee for Aiyappa Swamy was so heavy that he had given to my father to carry and he used to walk ahead of all in the group .
Alas ! In life race also , he had walked so much ahead leaving us behind ...That's a great tragedy !!
And similar to Aiyappa Swamy story , he had left his fiancee , just before his marriage ...
The rituals and the hard penance a devotee has to undergo while fasting before going to Sabari hills makes him very strong both physically and mentally and brings fulfillment and contentment at the end , though it is very difficult to observe .
It was the time, when I had finished my college and had taken up a job , got an opportunity to stay with my uncle's family in Bangalore. My uncle and aunt has two sons and always do consider me as their own daughter and shower their love on me . And my uncle never leaves his family , whenever and wherever he goes anywhere ,be it a trip or a pilgrimage. And I believe because of this attitude , when he had planned the tour to Sabari Hills apart from the other tourist spots in Kerela like Guruvayoor, Kaladi etc along with his friend , he included us also . We both families joined together and set off for the pilgrimage cum trip, though not in Ayyappa season season period .Being aware that ladies are not supposed to go there , the original plan was that we ladies would stay back while only the men alone climd the hills/visit the Aiyyappa temple and join us back for further trip in and around Kerela.
But once on reaching Pampa , we got the information that , they've started allowing even the ladies to the Sabarimalai Temple, of late ,this was way back in 1991 or 1992 . This information had changed our plan and we , ladies also accomplanied them , in the short route , after having our bath in the holy Pampa River. The trek and hill view was very different and new experience.
It was really amazing to see the clouds moving gently at a level lower than the mountain . And I also remember seeing a long queue of donkeys carrying the loads of materials on their back on the rough terrain full of stones enroute to Sabarimala hills. And not to forget the historic famous Sabari temple, the old and devoted lady , who fed Rama with the fruits , selected and tasted by her as mentioned in Ramayana. That was a nice feeling to roam around there, with that story lingering in mind.
Then , we reached the Holy and the most sought after temple of Manikanta , the one who was found with the beads in his neck by the King, who considered him as the blessing from God due to his prayers and brought him up as his own son. The whole trekking was about 5 Kms ,felt little difficult to climb through.
As said and heard , spotted many young ladies there . Also witnessed baskets and baskets of flowers being carried by the priests for the Puja . There was a Ganesha Temple , next to the Golden 18 Holy steps of Sabarimalai. Just on seeing those steps , something shook me from inside. These divine steps carry a lot of spiritual significance and considered most sacred by the devotees. I was just moved to tears and the emotions in me rose very high . I stood there standstill and awestruck . The temple , the location in the middle of the dense Hills kept me wondering ,if that's a true happening .
The story goes this way - the little Aiyappa had released an arrow and the place where the arrow fell down , the temple was said to have been built by the King Pandalaraja . This story was running in my backscreen of my mind , though I seemed to have lost m self in the Holy 18 steps. For one to reach the divine, he has to climb the 18 steps or levels of austerities and penance in subtle meaning.
Then , my aunt called me to have the darshan of Aiyappa Swamy , through the back door , because one is supposed to climb the 18 steps only if we had observed the fast and carried the Irumudi . But, something stopped me from inside . A strong urge from inside said "No!".
Having known about the severe penance of Lord Aiyappa Swamy, a Brahmachari , who had left Maalikpuram Mangamma waiting for Him at the footsteps itself .As per the story, in fact He had put a condition to her that the year when no Kanni swamy or new devotee comes to see Him , he would marry her. But year by year , the devotees count keeps on increasing and her wait period has become infinite.
These thoughts never gave me way to go and see Him or take darshan of Him , though He was just a few steps away. Though my aunt insisted me to accompany her , I just said a firm No. I felt so much contented taking a look at the sacred 18 steps and did not want anything more. My eyes were swelling with tears of devotion. And a thought had popped up in my mind that time, that after my marriage, my husband would come and visit Him.
And we returned back after visiting Mangamma temple there .
Later as promised, with Ayyappa Swamy's Grace, the time had come for my husband to visit Sabarimala after some 10 years of our marriage and therefore could complete the prayers.
Lord Aiyappa Swamy always brings a sweet devotion in my heart rather anyone's heart , no doubt !!
I am sure with His Grace, He will give an opportunity to visit Him in the near future may be after a couple of years ..
Harivarasanam Viswamohanam
Haridadhiswaram Aaradhyapadhukam
Arivimardhanam Nithyanarthanam
Hariharathmajam Devamashraye
Saranam Ayyappa Swamy Saranam Ayyappa
Saranam
Ayyappa Swamy Saranam Ayyappa
Repository of Hari's boons,
Enchanter of universe,
Essence of Hari's grace,
He whose holy feet is worshipped,
He who kills enemies of good thought,
He who daily dances the cosmic dance,
Son of Hari and Hara,
I take refuge in thee God.
My refuge is in you Ayyappa,
My refuge is in you Ayyappa.
Love & smiles...
 |
| Lord Ayyappa Swamy |
As a small girl , I had always had an admiration to the Lord Aiyyappa Swamy , reading His Birth Story and hearing His Fame. My father used to make the pilgrimage to Sabarimala every year , observing fast . I used to attend the Aiyappa Swamy Bhajans too . Those devotional songs like "Villaathi Veerane , Veera Manikandane !! , Kallum mullum kaalukku meththai" etc always make a reverberation in my heart . The words would be very catchy and inspirational too !!
And my younger brother , who is now no more also was belived to have born because of Aiyappa Swamy's Grace after praying to Him , my parents say. My father then had taken my brother , when he was hardly six or seven years old in the long route of 48 km walking and trekking the Sabari hills. My brother always used to fondly cherish those memoirs, as his "Irumudi " or the baggage carrying the Rice and Coconut filled with ghee for Aiyappa Swamy was so heavy that he had given to my father to carry and he used to walk ahead of all in the group .
Alas ! In life race also , he had walked so much ahead leaving us behind ...That's a great tragedy !!
And similar to Aiyappa Swamy story , he had left his fiancee , just before his marriage ...
The rituals and the hard penance a devotee has to undergo while fasting before going to Sabari hills makes him very strong both physically and mentally and brings fulfillment and contentment at the end , though it is very difficult to observe .
It was the time, when I had finished my college and had taken up a job , got an opportunity to stay with my uncle's family in Bangalore. My uncle and aunt has two sons and always do consider me as their own daughter and shower their love on me . And my uncle never leaves his family , whenever and wherever he goes anywhere ,be it a trip or a pilgrimage. And I believe because of this attitude , when he had planned the tour to Sabari Hills apart from the other tourist spots in Kerela like Guruvayoor, Kaladi etc along with his friend , he included us also . We both families joined together and set off for the pilgrimage cum trip, though not in Ayyappa season season period .Being aware that ladies are not supposed to go there , the original plan was that we ladies would stay back while only the men alone climd the hills/visit the Aiyyappa temple and join us back for further trip in and around Kerela.
But once on reaching Pampa , we got the information that , they've started allowing even the ladies to the Sabarimalai Temple, of late ,this was way back in 1991 or 1992 . This information had changed our plan and we , ladies also accomplanied them , in the short route , after having our bath in the holy Pampa River. The trek and hill view was very different and new experience.
It was really amazing to see the clouds moving gently at a level lower than the mountain . And I also remember seeing a long queue of donkeys carrying the loads of materials on their back on the rough terrain full of stones enroute to Sabarimala hills. And not to forget the historic famous Sabari temple, the old and devoted lady , who fed Rama with the fruits , selected and tasted by her as mentioned in Ramayana. That was a nice feeling to roam around there, with that story lingering in mind.
Then , we reached the Holy and the most sought after temple of Manikanta , the one who was found with the beads in his neck by the King, who considered him as the blessing from God due to his prayers and brought him up as his own son. The whole trekking was about 5 Kms ,felt little difficult to climb through.
As said and heard , spotted many young ladies there . Also witnessed baskets and baskets of flowers being carried by the priests for the Puja . There was a Ganesha Temple , next to the Golden 18 Holy steps of Sabarimalai. Just on seeing those steps , something shook me from inside. These divine steps carry a lot of spiritual significance and considered most sacred by the devotees. I was just moved to tears and the emotions in me rose very high . I stood there standstill and awestruck . The temple , the location in the middle of the dense Hills kept me wondering ,if that's a true happening . The story goes this way - the little Aiyappa had released an arrow and the place where the arrow fell down , the temple was said to have been built by the King Pandalaraja . This story was running in my backscreen of my mind , though I seemed to have lost m self in the Holy 18 steps. For one to reach the divine, he has to climb the 18 steps or levels of austerities and penance in subtle meaning.
Having known about the severe penance of Lord Aiyappa Swamy, a Brahmachari , who had left Maalikpuram Mangamma waiting for Him at the footsteps itself .As per the story, in fact He had put a condition to her that the year when no Kanni swamy or new devotee comes to see Him , he would marry her. But year by year , the devotees count keeps on increasing and her wait period has become infinite.
These thoughts never gave me way to go and see Him or take darshan of Him , though He was just a few steps away. Though my aunt insisted me to accompany her , I just said a firm No. I felt so much contented taking a look at the sacred 18 steps and did not want anything more. My eyes were swelling with tears of devotion. And a thought had popped up in my mind that time, that after my marriage, my husband would come and visit Him.
And we returned back after visiting Mangamma temple there .
Later as promised, with Ayyappa Swamy's Grace, the time had come for my husband to visit Sabarimala after some 10 years of our marriage and therefore could complete the prayers.
I am sure with His Grace, He will give an opportunity to visit Him in the near future may be after a couple of years ..
Harivarasanam ViswamohanamHaridadhiswaram Aaradhyapadhukam
Arivimardhanam Nithyanarthanam
Hariharathmajam Devamashraye
Saranam Ayyappa Swamy Saranam Ayyappa
Saranam
Ayyappa Swamy Saranam Ayyappa
Repository of Hari's boons,
Enchanter of universe,
Essence of Hari's grace,
He whose holy feet is worshipped,
He who kills enemies of good thought,
He who daily dances the cosmic dance,
Son of Hari and Hara,
I take refuge in thee God.
My refuge is in you Ayyappa,
My refuge is in you Ayyappa.
Love & smiles...
