Sabarimala Sri Ayyappa Temple

Best known pilgrimage destination in Kerala is Sabarimala,high up in the Sahyadri Mountains.

Sabarimala Sri Dharmasastha Temple is most famous and prominent among all Sastha Temples.

The pilgrimage begins in the month of November and ends in January. The temple attracts pilgrims not only from the southern states of India, but also from other parts of the country and abroad.

Mandalapooja(Nov.15th)and Makaravilakku(Jan.14th)are the two main events of the pilgrim season. The temple stays closed during the rest of the year except for the first five days of every Malayalam month and during Vishu (April).

Pilgrims set out in groups under a leader, and each carry a cloth bundle called Irumudi kettu containing traditional offerings. Unlike certain Hindu temples, Sabarimala temple has no restrictions of caste or creed.

The temple is open to males of all age groups and to women who have either passed their fertility age and those before reaching the stage of puberty.

Web : http://www.sabarimala.org/