The temple is dedicated to Lord Ayyappa and is the most famous among all the Sastha temples in Kerala.Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple is unique for its location and spiritual significance. Near the temple, to the east of Sannidhanam, there is a place dedicated to Vavar, a close friend of Lord Ayyappa, known as Vavaru Nada.
This temple is open for worship only during Mandalapooja, Makaravilakku, Vishu, and the first day of every Malayalam month.
Festivals
The Temple has a number of festivals. The important ones are :
Makara Vilakku
Makara Vilakku is an annual festival celebrated on Makara Sankranti at the Sabarimala shrine in Kerala, India. The festival features the Thiruvabharanam procession, where the sacred ornaments of Lord Ayyappan are carried to the hill shrine of Sabarimala. Each year, approximately half a million devotees gather at Sabarimala to witness and participate in this significant ritual.
Neyyabhishekam
Neyyabhishekam is a significant ritual at Sabarimala Temple, where pilgrims pour sacred ghee, carried in their Irumudi a two compartment bag made of handwoven cotton cloth over the idol of Lord Ayyappan. This ritual, performed with the offerings carried on their heads, symbolically represents the merging of Jeevatma with Paramatma.
Contact Address: Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple, Swamy Ayyappan Rd, Sannidhanam, Sabarimala, Pathanamthitta, Kerala 689662