Sabarimala Mandala – Makaravilakku Pilgrimage, held every year from November 16 to January 10, is one of the largest and most sacred Hindu pilgrimages in India. Dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, this holy season attracts millions of devotees to the Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple in Pathanamthitta, Kerala.
The pilgrimage includes the 41-day Mandala Kalam and the divine Makaravilakku celebration, making it the most spiritually powerful time to visit Sabarimala.
Mandala kaalam
(Nov 16 – Dec 27)
During Mandala Kalam, devotees observe strict vratham, wear traditional black or blue attire, chant “Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa,” and follow a vegetarian lifestyle. The 41-day austerity prepares the devotees physically and spiritually before climbing the Pathinettam Padi (18 holy steps) to worship Lord Ayyappa.
Makaravilakku (Jan 10)
The pilgrimage concludes with the grand Makaravilakku Deeparadhana at Sannidhanam and the sacred Makarajyothi sighting at Ponnambalamedu. The arrival of the Thiruvabharanam procession adds divine significance to this auspicious day.
Prasadam
The prasadam at Sabarimala temple is Aravana payasam and Appam. These are prepared by using rice, ghee, sugar, jaggery etc. The rice needed to prepare the prasadam at Sabarimala temple is supplied by Chettikulangara Devi Temple, the second largest temple under the Travancore Devaswom Board situated at Mavelikkara. The Chief Commissioner, Travancore Devaswom Board said that the board has appointed Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore as a consultant for providing technical guidance to ensure the quality of Aravana, Appam and other prasadam preparations at Sabarimala temple.
Harivarasanam
Harivarasanam is recited before closing the temple door every night. Harivarasanam prayer, which is sung at Sabarimala is a Urakkupattu. It is composed by Kambangudi Kulathur Srinivasa Iyer in Sanskrit. It is said that Srinivasa Iyer used to recite the composition after the Athazha Puja, standing in front of the shrine of Ayyappa in the main temple. With the efforts of Swami Vimochanananda, it came to be accepted as the lullaby by the Tantri and Melshanthi.
Neyyabhishekam
This significant ritual involves pouring sacred ghee brought by pilgrims in their Pallikettu or Irumudi (a two compartment bag made of handwoven cotton cloth used to carry the offerings for Sabarimala Temple carried on their heads) on the idol of Lord Ayyappa. It symbolically means the merging of Jeevatma with the Paramatma. While a red-colored irumudi is used by a pilgrim on his first journey as a Kanni Ayyappan to Sabarimala, others use navy blue till third year and thereafter saffron colored irumudi.
