Sabarimala Temple

The Sabarimala Sree Ayyappan Temple (ʃabəɾimala; ശബരിമല ശ്രീ ധർമ്മശാസ്താ ക്ഷേത്രം) is a Hindu temple complex located on the Sabarimala hill inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve, Ranni-Perunad Village, Ranni Taluk, Pathanamthitta district, Kerala, India. Nearest railway station is Chengannur railway station It is one of the largest annual pilgrimage sites in the world, with an estimate of over 10 to 15 million devotees visiting every year. The temple is dedicated to a Hindu Brahmachari (celibate) deity named Ayyappan also known as Dharma Shasta, who, according to one belief, is the son of Shiva and Vishnu. Sabarimala Temple exemplifies the convergence of diverse religions in India. The temple is situated on a hilltop amidst eighteen hills at an altitude of 1,260 m (4,134) ft) above the mean sea level and is surrounded by mountains and dense forests. The dense forest, part of the Periyar Tiger Reserve, around the temple is known as Poongavanam. Temples exist in each of the hills surrounding Sabarimala. While functional and intact temples exist at many places in the surrounding areas like Nilakkal, Kalaketty, and Karimala, remnants of old temples survive to this day on the remaining hills. In 1991, a PIL was filed, and the Kerala High Court told the Devaswom Board to keep the temple's customary practices. They also concluded that there is no difference between one group or class of Hindus, and when it comes to entering a temple, the ban only applies to women of a certain age and not to women in general. On September 28, 2018, the Supreme Court of India, which had a panel of 4 male judges and 1 female judge, ruled by a majority of 4-1 to overturn the ban on women entering the temple. The state of Kerala expressed dissent towards the decision made by the Supreme Court. The temple is open for worship only during the days of Mandala pooja (approximately 15 November to 26 December), Makaravilakku or "Makara Sankranti" (14 January), and Maha Thirumal Sankranti (14 April), and the first five days of each Malayalam month.

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Related concepts (9)

Pathanamthitta

Pathanamthitta (pɐt̪ːɐnɐn̪d̪iʈːɐ), is a municipality situated in the Southern Kerala, India, spread over an area of 23.50 km2. It is the administrative capital of Pathanamthitta district. The town has a population of 37,538. The Hindu pilgrim centre Sabarimala is situated in the Pathanamthitta district; as the main transport hub to Sabarimala, the town is known as the 'Pilgrim Capital of Kerala'. Pathanamthitta District, the thirteenth revenue district of the State of Kerala, was formed with effect from 1 November 1982, with headquarters at Pathanamthitta.

Achankovil

Achankovil is a 128 km long west flowing river in Kerala, India, which flows through Kollam, Pathanamthitta, and Alappuzha districts. The river drains vast tract of fertile plains of Upper Kuttanad in the Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta districts. It also sustains numerous urban settlements along its course such as Konni, Pathanamthitta, Pandalam, Mavelikkara etc. The river has its origin in Devar Mala peak of the Western Ghats situated in the Konni Reserve Forest.

Pathanamthitta district

Pathanamthitta District (pɐt̪ːɐnɐn̪d̪iʈːɐ), is one of the 14 districts in the Indian state of Kerala. The district headquarters is in the town of Pathanamthitta. There are four municipalities in Pathanamthitta: Adoor, Pandalam, Pathanamthitta and Thiruvalla. According to the 2011 Census of India, the population was 1,197,412, making it the third least populous district in Kerala (out of 14), after Wayanad and Idukki. Pathanamthitta has been declared the first polio-free district in India. The district is 10.