mangalore today

Bantwal’s Ayyappa Vrithadhari on a Padayatra from Vaishnodevi shrine to Shabarimala


Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Jan 07, 2017: Thousands of Ayyappa devotees visit the famous Shabarimala shrine every year by bus, train or private vehicles. But, that’s not the case with Naveen of Kurnadu in  Bantwal taluk.  Naveen has been on a unique mission since the past  ten years.


Ayyappa swami ...


As an Ayyappa Vrithadhari every year, he  does not reach the shrine by means of any mode  of transport, but by foot. He sets out on a Padayatra to Shabarimala every year not from one place, but from different shrines.

In the past, he had commenced his Padayatra to Shabarimala from Shirdi, Kollur Mookambika Temple, Tirupathi and other shrines. Naveen commenced this year’s Padayatra from   the Vaishnodevi shrine at Jammu Kashmir on October 29  and intends to cover a distance of 3,500 kms to Shabarimale amid all hardships.  Earlier this week he arrived in Tokkottu during the course of his Padayatra.

He recalled some of the hardships he faced during the Yatra owing to note ban and also revealed how he was assisted by some good hearted people including a priest as well as a soldier named Tilak in Delhi who has been in regular touch with him.

Citing another instance, he said  he was accosted by two cyclists within  a few minutes of his commencement of his yatra from Vaishnodevi shrine. Naveen says for a moment he was  terrified, but the strangers handed over  six notes of one  hundred rupee notes and left asking him to visit their shrine nearby. "As they left, I switched on my   torch  and shed light  towards the way they left but saw none," said  Naveen and described this as one of  his most memorable experiences.