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Mini operation theatre at Sabarimala
Wednesday, 19 December, 2007
Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government on Tuesday gave approval for setting up a medical centre with a mini-operation theatre at the Sannidhanam complex in Sabarimala following an increase in the number of Ayyappa pilgrims dying due to heart attack.
Speaking to reporters after a cabinet meeting here, Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan said the high level meeting of officials that reviewed the arrangements at Sabarimala had decided to set up such a centre.
The Cabinet also decided to supply three kg of rice to school children under the noon-meal scheme as part of New year celebrations, he said.
Labels: Sabarimala
Kerala's Sabrimala Temple promotes communal harmony
Saturday, 8 December, 2007
Sabarimala (Kerala), Dec.7 (ANI): Drawing millions of devotees from different parts of the country and abroad, the world famous Sabarimala Temple in Kerala has also been promoting communal harmony for a long time.
While visiting the Sabarimala temple, the devotees also pay their respects to a Muslim deity 'Vavar' as a lieutenant of Lord Ayyappa.
After worshiping at the main sanctum santorum, the devotees go to worship the Muslim deity of Vavar that is located in proximity of a few metres to the main temple.
A carved stone slab symbolises the deity of Vavarswami. There is no distinguishable idol here. Covered with a green silk cloth on the three sides of a wall while the fourth side is open, the Vavarswami (the Vavar) is offered pepper as main offering.
A Muslim priest performs the rituals even today. Belonging to Vavar's family, the pries distributes the sacred ash as "Prasadam" (Gods' offering) to the pilgrims in front of the Temple.
Devotees, having climbed the 18 sacred steps, are expected to loudly chant "Swamiya Saranam Ayyapa".
Legend has it that Lord Ayyappa was born in to annihilate demon princess Mahishi, who caused destruction of the pious. For this, Ayyappa had to take a mortal form and live as an earthly being.
After annihilating Mahishi and the successful completion of divine work, the Lord preferred to reside at the land of "Sabarimala" in Kerala, where the great Tapaswani (or, the ascetic) "Sabari" was given holy glimpse by Lord Rama and salvation by Lord Ayyappa.
About five million people visit the Sabarimala Temple annually.
Lord Ayyappan is a symbol of religious unity and communal harmony. Being born out of Mohini (the female incarnation of Lord Vishnu) and Lord Shiva, he is also known as Bhuthanatha, Dharmasastha, Hariharan, Ayyanar and Manikanta.
Situated atop the Sabarimala Hill in the Western Ghats of Kerala, the renowned temple devoted to Lord Ayyappa is a pilgrimage centre since ancient time. It lies in the thick forests of Kerala's Pattanamthitta District.
Sabarimala temple is open to all, irrespective of caste, creed, religion, social status or nationality.
The temple is open only to males and menopaused females (beyond 50 years of age) and little girls below 10 years of age. This is because the Sabrimala Lord is a chaste yogi. (ANI)
--MP Labels: Sabarimala
Bomb threat in Sabarimala
Wednesday, 21 November, 2007
AJ: Security in Sabarimala has been tightened after receiving an anonymous bomb threat today. Kozhikode city police commissioner Balram Kumar Upadhya, received the call this afternoon stating that a bomb has been placed in Sabarimala. Police informed that the phone call came from Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. The police and bomb squad are carrying out search operations. Millions of devotees visit the hill shrine for the two-month annual pilgrim season. Tight security measures were already installed at Sabarimala prior to the two-month Mandalam-Makaravilaku festival season which began on November 17.
Labels: Sabarimala
Woman arrested for attempting to barge inside Sabarimala Temple
Monday, 19 November, 2007
Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 18 (ANI): A woman was today arrested in front of Sabarimala Temple in Kerala, as she attempted to gatecrash into the revered hill shrine, where entry of women is barred.
Shelvi, a native of Pondicherry, was arrested just 50 meters away from the holy '18 steps' as she tried to breach the temple's security, and was taken into custody for further investigations.
It may be recalled that just one and a half year back a major controversy erupted when a Kannada film actress named Jaimala claimed to have entered the sanctum sanctorum and touched the celibate idol.
In past few years many women have been arrested at Pampa while trying to sneak into the temple.
Women past their puberty are not allowed entry into the temple, and many women groups oppose this.
Thousands of Hindu devotees visit Sabarimala Temple during the festival known as Mandalam-Makarivilakku, which begins from the first day of Malayalam month Vrischikom in mid-November (November 16 this year) and culminates in the third week of January.
The temple situated atop the Sabarimala hill is at about 4,000 feet above sea level. One has to brave an arduous trek of more than six kilometres to reach the temple at the top and pass through dense thickets of forest.
Pilgrims from all over the country throng the hill shrine. (ANI)
--MP Labels: Sabarimala, Top-Stories
Devout begin annual trek to Kerala's Sabarimala temple
Sunday, 18 November, 2007
Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 17 (ANI): Thousands of devotees have begun the 41-day long trek to the Lord Ayyappa Temple atop the Sabarimala hill in Kerala.
"Mandalam-Makarivilakku" festival begins from the first day of Malayalam month Vrischikom in mid-November (November 16) and will culminate in the third week of January.
Devotees begin "Vratham" or the penance, wearing a string of beads and observe abstinence from all worldly pleasures.
Abstinence from alcohol, smoking, non-vegetarian food and sexual relations is a part of the ritual that pilgrims are supposed to adhere to.
During the "Vratham" period normally all the "Ayyappas", those who undertake the penance, wear only black clothes and observe 41 days of penance to visit the temple. Women past their puberty are not allowed entry into the temple.
Incidentally, there is no bar on people from other faiths from visiting this temple.
"The forty-one day "Vratham" is important for all Ayyappa devotees, the food habits are also very strict and the religiously inclined can go and have darshans (blessings) of the god. Lord Ayyapa is a deity for people across religions," said Mani Potti, a priest.
"I believe in Lord Ayyapa and I come here to ward off evil," said Sathikumar, a devotee.
More than ten million devotees visit the hill shrine during the annual pilgrimage, which is billed as one of the biggest religious congregations after the Haj pilgrimage at Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
The temple situated atop the Sabarimala hill is at about 4,000 feet above sea level. One has to brave an arduous trek of more than six-kilometers to reach the temple at the top and pass through dense forests.
Pilgrims to Sabarimala throng from all over the country, most of them from Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. (ANI)
--MP Labels: Sabarimala
Sabarimala temple opens for pilgrim season
Saturday, 17 November, 2007
AJ: Sabarimala Ayyappa temple was opened for the 41-day "Mandala" pilgrimage season on the first day of the Malayalam month "Vrishchikam". The New "melsanthi" of the temple T K Krishnan Namboodiri opened the temple in the presence of
Tantri Kandararu Maheshwararu. "Ganapathi Homam" and "Neyyabhishekham" followed the first "Nirmalya Darshan" by devotees. Heavy rush was witnessed on the first day. It has been reported that there occurred a shortage of aravana in Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa Temple on the first day itself. Appam and Aravana
are the prasadams of the lord here. Pilgrims have to stand in long queues for hours to purchase aravana and each can purchase only five containers of aravana as per the restriction due to the shortage. Labels: Sabarimala
Mobile phones to be restricted at Sabarimala
Sunday, 4 November, 2007
AJ: In view of security concerns, use of mobile phones would be restricted around Sabarimala Temple, adobe of Lord Ayyappa, during the two-month pilgrim season beginning from mid-November, official sources said.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting of officials and people's representatives convened by Devaswom Minister G Sudhakaran at the Pampa base camp to review the preparations for the pilgrimage season.
Sabarimala would be declared a permanent liquor-free zone. KSRTC would press into service 248 additional bus services and for the first time pre-paid taxi services would be introduced from Tiruvalla railway station.
To augment drinking water supply, three check dams would be built across the Pampa. Water Resources Minister N K Premachandran, Public Works Minister Mons Joseph, Francis George MP, Raju Abraham MLA and Travancore Devaswom Board president C K Guptan were present at the meeting.Labels: Sabarimala
New Chief Priest For Sabarimala Temple
Wednesday, 24 October, 2007
Sabarimala: P.K. Krishnan Namboodiri was selected as chief priest (melsanthi) of the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple for a one-year term.
The selection was made by draw of lots from a panel of nine candidates shortlisted on the basis of interviews conducted by Travancore Devaswom Board authorities earlier.
Hailing from Koothulli Mana in Palakkad district, 52-year old Krishnan Namboodiri had earlier served a term as the chief priest of the Guruvayur Sree Krishna temple.
M.N. Krishnan Namboodiri of Mangatt Illam was selected as the chief priest of the Malikappuram Devi shrine, located in the Ayyappa temple complex.Labels: Religion, Sabarimala
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