Ayyappa Devotees to observe Makara Jyothi today at Shabarimala

Ayyappa Devotees to observe Makara Jyothi today at Shabarimala

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Jan 14: The devotees of Lord Ayyappa will observe the ‘Makara Jyothi’ (miraculous flash of light) at Ponnambala Medu near Shabhari Mala Temple on Friday, January 14. Thus the fourty day long Ayyappa deekshas  will end with the darshan of Makara Jyothi at Sabarimala.  Lakhs of people from Karnataka as well as other parts of Karnataka go to Sabarimala to have a darshan of Makara Jyothi, light that appears three times in the distant hill Ponnambala Medu.

 

 

The Makara Jyothi festival is observed on the first day of the Malayalam month Makaram. Sabarimala Makara Jyothi 2011 date is January 14. Makara Jyothi is the star (Nakshatram) that appears on the sky on the day in the evening of January 14.

Before the Makara Vilakku, Lord Ayyappa is adorned with gold ornaments or the Thiruvabharanam that is brought from the Pandalam Palace. The darshan of Ayyappa on Makara Jyothi day is considered highly auspicious and thousands of devotees gather at the temple to have a darshan.

Witnessing a Miracle at Sabarimala; "Makarajyothi"

One of the most sacred pilgrimage locations in India, the Lord Ayappa temple located in Sabarimala, is a pilgrimage centre in Kerala located in the Western Ghat of Kerala in Pathanamthitta District. Lord Ayyappan’s temple is situated in the midst of 18 hills. The area is in the Sahyadri ranges of Kerala. The temple is situated on a hilltop at an altitude of 914m/3000 ft above sea level, and is surrounded by mountains and dense forests. Chanting “Swamiye Sharanam Ayappa”, scores of worshippers of different castes, creeds, and religions make their way to the holy spot.

 
There are many common myths surrounding the Sabarimala temple; the most common being of Lord Ayappa and his sojourn as a human being as the son of the King of the Pandalam dynasty. Historically, Sabarimala was once under the regime of the Pandalam dynasty.
 

Lord Ayyappa, the deity of Sabarimala had his human sojourn at the Pandalam dynasty as the adopted son of the King of Pandalam. It is believed that the King of Pandalam, didn’t have an offspring to assume his throne. He found a baby on the banks of the river Pampa. This follows the prophecy that he should take the baby to his Palace and that the baby will show the true intent of his birth at the age 12. The baby was said to have a bell tied around his neck, and hence he was called Manikandan. The King took the baby home and the Royal Family accepted the child as the Prince. But after some time, the Queen delivered a baby and the attention of all except the King switched to the new born baby. Playing on the Queen’s jealousy the Minister in the Royal Palace told the Queen that unless Manikandan was thrown out of the Palace, her own son could not become the next King.

Soon, the Queen pretended to fall ill and the Royal Family doctor prescribed her the milk of a she-leopard. Knowing that Manikandan would take up the challenge, he tricked him to go in search of the leopard’s milk. Though the King restricted, Manikanta left pandalam to get milk of She-Leopard. In the forest, in a fierce battle, he killed the demon queen Mahishi. Knowing the intent of Manikandan’s visit, the King of the Gods, Indra, transfigured into a female leopard and the rest of the Gods then joined him in the avatar of leopards. Manikandan climbed on top of Queen in the leopard’s avatar and led the way back to the Royal Palace.

 
It was after this battle that he was renamed Lord Ayyappa, and he came back to rest underneath a banyan tree. The Queen and the Minister confessed to the King about their misdeeds. Despite demands from the King that Manikandan should take over as the King of Pandalam, he nominated his younger brother to take over the throne. He then took the King to the forest and told him that the intention of his human sojourn was complete and that he had to leave now. He then blazed away an arrow toward a hill. He asked the King to construct a shrine for him where the arrow alighted. Thus he gave up his human life and his divinity entered Sabarimala. Till today, the miraculous light reappears every year on January 15th. Another mythology says that it’s ’Parasurama Maharshi’, the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, who uplifted Kerala from the sea by throwing his axe and installed the idol of Ayyappa at Sabarimala.

 
The Makaravilakku and Chitra Vishu which generally falls during the months of November, December, January and Chitra Vishu which falls during the month of April. Devotees have to follow a rigorous fast for 41days to cleanse their minds before embarking on the journey.

 
Sabarimala pilgrims have to observe several austerities and regulations to undertake the pilgrimage. The fast can be undertaken only after getting permission from one’s parents and Guru. It should be undertaken in such a manner as to cause no inconvenience to one’s family.

He must eat only vegetarian food and abstain from meat, physical or verbal violence, alcohol and tobacco and intoxicants in any form. The devotee must sleep on the floor, use a wooden block for a pillow and walk bare feet. The devotee is obligated to treat all co-devotees as Lord Ayyappan and serve them in every way. He must be humble despite the respect and privileges accorded to him as a Sabarimala pilgrim.

 
The devotee must treat all women like his mother and strictly follow celibacy. He must not oil his body or his hair and must always carry a tulsi leaf with him to keep away evil thoughts. The guru has a significant role to play in the Ayyappa cult. The Guruswamy is usually an elderly person who has undertaken pilgrimage to Sabarimala not less than seven consecutive years in the traditional long route and had darshan of Makara Jothi. The devotees treat the Guruswamy as Ayyappan himself. It is important that pilgrims gain knowledge from the Guru on all the aspects of the Pilgrimage. One should serve the Guru physically, mentally and verbally.

 
Swamiye Sharanam Ayyappa