Ayyapa’s Tiruvabarana Goshayatra – A Memoir

By S V Badri

 

The Background:

 

It is an age-old tradition that
is thankfully continued to be worshipped till date. The Pandalam Raja,
fortunately, remains the custodian of the Tiruvabaranam (the jewels for
Bhagawan Ayyappa and Maligapuram Amma). These celestial jewels are displayed at
Pandalam Palace Mandir during the Mandalam/Makaram period (End December through
January 11^th), every year.

 

Three teakwood caskets called the
Tiruvabaranam Pettis are used to transport the sacred jewels from Pandalam Palace to Sabarimala. The caskets used
till last year are over 120 years old. One of them developed a crack (Bhinnam),
necessitating the making of a new set of Tiruvabarana Petti (Jewel caskets) for
the Bhagawan. While the government’s Travancore Devaswom Board is the custodian
of the Ayyappan Mandir and corners all the revenue, it asked the Pandalam
Maharaja, the traditional custodian of the jewels by virtue of being the
descendent of the foster parent of Bhagawan Ayyappa, to make the new set of three
caskets. I am informed that the Devaswom told the harried ‘Maharaja’, that it
would cost him a cool Rs.1.5 Crore. Two quotations, one each from TN and the
Kerala Handicraft bodies concurred with such an astronomical figure (It should
not surprise you that finally it costed a fraction of the quote).

 

The Pandalam Saga in brief

 

King Rajasekhara, the early
descendant of the Pandalam Rajya was a courageous, pious and just ruler. He was
childless for many years and on one of his hunting expeditions, found a little
child with a bell dangling round its neck on the banks of the river Pampa. The king was
delighted, brought the child to his queen and named Him as Manikandan (Bhagawan
Ayyappan’s name). Manikandan grew up as a very wise and brave boy. Years later,
the queen gave birth to a boy. The Diwan, nursing an eye on the throne, poisons
the queen’s mind. The queen is worried that Manikandan would supersede her son
in succession for the throne and feigns an incurable headache. The palace
Vaidya, acting at the behest of the Diwan, prescribes that only the milk of a
tigress would cure the Queen. Manikandan sets out on a lonely journey to the
forest. His father gives him a three eyed coconut (a ritual followed till date
as the coconut shell is used to carry the Ghee for the Abhishek of Ayyappa). He
accomplishes the task for which He took the Avatar by killing Mahishi on the
banks of the river Azhutha river. Indra transforms Himself into a tigress and Manikandan
returns to the palace, riding on it. King Rajasekhar learns about the deceit of
the Diwan and about the real identity of Manikanda, as the Hari-Hara Putra, the
divine son of Shiva and Vishnu, while He took the avatar of the enchantingly
beautiful Mohini to destroy the evil Bhasmasura. He begs forgiveness of Manikanda
and embarks on the holy task to construct a Mandir for Manikanda at the spot
chosen by His guidance. The vigraha in the sanctorum was installed by Bhagawan
Parasurama. The Pandalam Maharaja, King Rajasekara made a set of jewels to be
adorned on this Vigraha on the day of Makara Sankranti, the day the Vigraha was

consecrated and Ayyappa chose to manifest Himself as the Makara Jyoti each year.
The tradition of the jewels being carried on foot in specially designed caskets
from Pandalam to the Sannidanam (the Mandir) in Sabarimala was commenced during
his reign and it is being followed till date without interruption. This is
called the Tiruvabarana Goshayatra. While the Mandir has been taken under the
Government control through the Tranvancore Devaswom Board, the jewels remain in
the custody of the descendant of Raja Rajasekhara and the ritual continues till
date.

 

 

Shri Chandramouli ji

 

Shri. Chandramouli ji, a very
ardent Ayyappa Bhakta offered to undertake the divine task of making the new
set of Jewel caskets. The Raja of Pandalam set certain ground rules. The most
important of which is that he should not advertise through any medium, nor collect
funds through advertisements, to complete the task. He was told that he can
approach Ayyappa devotees known to him and through his sources. All the
conditions were deeply respected and instantly accepted. Thus, he embarked on
the mammoth task of mobilizing funds and finding the right people for designing
the caskets. He started his Diksha the very day he got the clearance from the
Raja. And embarked on the holy task with great devotion, the only strength that
stood by him through a little more than 9 months it took to complete this
Ayyappa-ordained task.

 

Funds came in a trickle. Through
known Ayyappa devotee circles. And with the Blessings of Bhagawan Ayyappa, it
gathered momentum. The required Sandalwood trees were sanctioned by the forest
department and procured at good cost. Jewellers at Bangalore were identified to make the
decorative pieces that adorned the Tiruvabharanamt caskets. Three caskets were
specially made for the Tiruvabarana Ghoshayatra, to be handed over to the Pandalam Raja.

 

The ordeals and the pleasant
surprises at each turn of its making that awaited Chandramouli ji would make an
article by itself. The Tiruvabarana Caskets were readied in time and were
displayed in select Mandirs in Chennai, A.P. and Bangalore for public Darshan, before they
were ceremonially handed over to the Pandalam Raja. The caskets were on display
at his private Mandir in his palace, with the Aabaranams displayed inside the
Mandir for public darshan.

 

The Blessings and the Offer

 

I was very fortunate that as soon
as the entire gold engravings were ready, they were brought to my house to be
shown to us. And then came the offer-Would I be willing to join the team to
trek 120 odd Kilometers that constitutes the Tiruvabarana Goshayatra. Each
year, the Aabaranams leave Pandalam palace on 12^th and would reach a
little before 18-30 Hrs on the 14^th January at Sabarimala, in time
to adorn the Ayyappa Vigraha, for the Makara Jyoti Tiruvabarana Darshan. I
instantly jumped at the offer. But had to wait for more than a month for
confirmation. Because 26/11 happened, getting a security clearance for people
to travel with the Tiruvabaranam became an ordeal in itself. Having submitted
the photos in advance, we felt like students waiting eagerly to get our
hall-tickets for the final examinations. I was losing hope as days passed by
without any news and left it to Ayyappa. The very next day, I got a call that
my name was cleared and that I could start my Diksha (Vratam).

 

Chennai to Pandalam

 

Twenty of us constituted Shri
Chandramouli’s group and most of us met for the first time at Chennai Railway
Station on the 10^th January. We got to know each other in the train
and were all in eager anticipation of a close look at the Tiruvabaranam caskets,
touch them, feel the intensity of their divinity and to offer our prayers etc.,

 

The security passes were not
handed over to us. The suspense hangs grimly in the air as we reach Pandalam on
the 11^th. Our group leader urges us not to get disheartened should
some of us are refused passes in the last minute. Simply put, he told us that
we should view it as Ayyappa’s command. So began our next round of anxious waiting.
This time, the wait is like the one outside the examination hall to get the
hall-tickets in the last minute. The few of us who were told orally that our
names have been cleared, got it on 11^th. Satish and Harish, who
joined us from Jagtial, Telangana region and 4 people from Vijayawada who joined us late; were skeptical
if they would get their passes. They had just then given their photos and were
very anxious. This small group decided that they would return from Pandalam
rather than trek the whole distance, only to be shoved out of the group and
into a sea of humanity that would visit Sabarimalai on the 14^th Jan.

 

Something prompted me to console
them that they should stay with the group. I told them that they should believe
in Ayyappa. And that He would ensure they got their passes on 12^th
morning. And when they received their passes the next day, there were tears of
joy in their eyes that they did not hastily return the previous evening.

 

Pandalam
Palace

 

If the ones at Jaipur and Mysore are the benchmark
of regal structures, the Pandalam palace is a nondescript old house that struggles
to pass off as a Palace. If they had not put the board “Pandalam Palace”,
we might have missed it. The impressive Ayyappa Mandir was the most attractive
segment of the palace. We were welcomed by people streaming the rows of
barricades to touch the caskets, to have a darshan of Ayyappa and the ornaments
on display. Streams of Ayyappa devotees breezed into the town from dawn to
dusk. Hundreds of them stayed back to trek along with the Aabarana Pettis and
be part of the Tiruvabarana Goshayatra.

 

The official carriers

 

At 03-00 A.M. on 12^th
Jan, we assembled in the Mandir. The official carriers of the divine caskets
with the Tiruvabaranam in it, walked in small groups. There were 23 of them.
Each representing one family. It is news to me that these 23 people have been
performing this task as handed over by their forefathers. The task is
hereditary. They are all be employed in different parts of Kerala and even
outside Kerala. Each one decently settled in life. But have not given up their
hereditary duty to the Pandalam Maharaja, as carriers of the celestial jewels
for the Makara Jyoti-Aabaranam Alankara Darshan. They are so zealous of this divine
task that they curtly refused our offer of lending a shoulder, when we eagerly
invented a rare trace of panting in them. And during break, they would politely
tell us that it is their Ayyappa-ordained duty and they would not trade it for
anything in their lifetime.

 

 

Garuda-the bird king

 

Each year, I was one of those
millions of T.V viewers who watched with awe, when Garuda-the king of birds,
made his unfailing appearance, circling high up in the skies, when the divine caskets
danced to the “Sarana Gosham” reaching the celestial 18 Padis (Padinettam Padi)
in Sabarimalai. The Garuda circles high as the protector of these Aabaranas. I
was under the impression, like many of the readers might, that Garuda made His
presence in the skies only at this appropriate time and only at Sabarimala.

 

It was a revelation to me. Garuda
circled high at Pandalam, when the caskets commenced the Tiruvabarana
Goshayatra. And in a trifle, vanished into thin air. And at each of the more
than a dozen stops that we made, the Garuda would make his presence, circling
high up in the skies, and as if on a cue, the caskets would commence the onward
trek, only after the Garuda was sighted.

 

One can understand that the job
of the carriers runs through their families.

Now, who has embedded this genetic
trait in the Garuda?

Hair-raising stuff.

 

The Goshayatra

 

Having sighted the Garuda, the
Tiruvabarana Goshayatra began at Pandalam on the 12^th January. The
entire route was lined with people on either side. Each vying to get a little
finger on one of the caskets. The police and our volunteers had a tough time,
keeping them at bay. Over a thousand Ayyappa Bhaktas followed the Aabaranam
from Pandalam, a ring of volunteers held hands to form a protective circle
around the caskets. Women on either side of the road stood holding Aarathis.
Men showered petals, coins and currency. These were dutifully collected in
Hundis by volunteers from Pandalam
Palace. Roads were lined
with tables at regular intervals. Offering typical Kerala colored herbal water,
butter milk, Narangi Vellam (Lime juice), Kattan Chai (Black tea), Sukku
Vellam, Sukku Coffee etc.,

 

The route taken by the yatra has
remains unchanged over generations. I was told that the same route taken by
Bhagawan Ayyappa, when He set out to bring the tigress’ milk.

 

The first halt was at Kaipuzha
Krishna Mandir. The caskets were delicately placed on a specially erected
stage. People were allowed to walk through barricades to have a closer darshan
of the box.

 

We halted next at Kulanada Devi
Mandir.

 

R.S.S. Annadana:

 

I was pleasantly surprised to see
R.S.S. having an Annadana Shanty. Swayamsevaks distributed buttermilk and
offered Annadana to hundreds of pilgrims at the Devi Mandir. I saw a Seva
Bharati stall doing similar work at the Krishna Mandir. I was expecting to see
more of Seva Bharati bunks. To my surprise, these are the only two places where
the presence of the Swayamsevaks was seen. In the rest of the places, common
people came forward delightfully to put up temporary structures and offer
refreshments, food packets etc. The Satya Sai Seva group gave idli packets at
Nilackal. There was a V.H.P. stall at Sabarimala which paled when compared to
the number of pilgrims throbbing the neighboring Nightingale stall. 2 Mio
people on the hill, phew, what an opportunity!

 

We halted at Ullanur Bhagavati
Mandir and Kurianipally Devi Mandir before reaching the most famous Aranmula
Parthasarathy Mandir in the evening.

 

What was mind-boggling was that
people were waiting on both sides of the road, most times from wee hours in the
morning. And the whole atmosphere was electric with bhajans, pujas and
religious discourses.

 

A traditional welcome was
accorded at Aranmula and we trekked along stopping at Ponnunthitan Devi Mandir,
Pambadimannan Ayyappa Mandir, Chengolpuzha Subramania Swamy Mandir and reached
Ayinur Pudiya Bhagawati Mandir, where it was decided that we would halt for the
night.

 

Every square inch of the vast
compound of the Mandir was occupied by Ayyappa Bhaktas. The Aabarana Caskets
were dutifully taken inside the Mandir and were locked after according a few
hours of public darshan.

 

We accepted Annadana by some
devout Ayyappa Bhaktas inside the Mandir and took refuge on the open lawns of
the neighboring bungalow. The owner was gracious to throw his main door open so
we could sleep close to his fleet of parked cars.

 

It was in the night that Satish
and Harish told me that they were disappointed at not going near the caskets or
for not being able to take pictures standing along side it. I told them that
Ayyappa would call all of us the very next day and we could have all the
pictures that we would ever need. This seems to have satisfied them. But I kept
wondering if Ayyappa would grant my second prayer on behalf of them.

 

Having walked more than 42 Kms in
the day, each of us blissfully went to sleep at 11/30 P.M. only to get up at
01-30 Hrs to start the next day’s yatra.

 

13^th January

 

Even at this untimely hour, there
were people lined up on either side of the road, urging us to choose from an
array of invigorating beverages; black coffee, black tea and Sukku Coffee.
Passing through Edappalur Bhagawati Mandir, Azhikkal Ayyappa Para, Edakkulam
Devi Mandir, we reached Vadaserikkara, where we got our well deserved rest.

 

Overwhelmed by people’s
reception, our legs knew no pain as we trekked to our afternoon stop – Perunada
Sastha Mandir. Ayyappa Seva Mandal’s para-medical volunteers gave each one of
us a soothing message with herbal oils that came as a relief to our strained calf
muscles.

 

Call from Ayyappa

 

It was when we were stretching
our tiring legs at the hospital compound of Perunada that something strange happened.
Satish, Diwakar, Harish and I decided that we would go the Sastha Mandir where
the caskets were housed and try our luck if we could take some pictures. When
we reached the Mandir, the main door was closed. We were disappointed. Just
then, a policeman who crossed us stopped and asked us politely if we would like
to see the caskets from closer proximity. He showed us the side entrance to the
Mandir and we entered the Artha Mandapam where the caskets were placed and
policemen were resting. One of them looked at me directly and said, “Swami if
you want to take pictures, go ahead”.

 

Harish recorded the event on his
videocam, while I met the Pandalam Raja and got myself introduced to him. The
Raja was visibly happy that each one of us took time off to volunteer service
to this divine cause. The second time Ayyappa heard my prayers on behalf of
Satish and Harish!

 

Having rested for 2 hours, we
commenced our trek, having sighted the faithful Garuda hovering high in the
skies.

 

Curiously there were two houses where
the caskets were halted and received by the house owners with great reverence.
This was on the way to Perunada. Upon enquiry, I was told that these are the
two stops Ayyappa had made on his way to Sabarimala. The houses had come up
meanwhile, fortunately owned by devout Ayyappa Bhaktas, who deem it their honor
to respect the age old traditional route.

 

Estate workers of Laha

 

The forest guest house of Laha
was to be our venue of the night halt. On either side of the route to Laha from
Perunada, we found vast tracts of rubber estates. While people in hundreds
lined up the road, to offer pujas to the Aabaranams, it was most heart-warming
for us to see groups of estate workers trekking through inhospitable terrain to
reach the main road, to have a glimpse of the caskets. It was a very emotional
moment for most of us to watch these simple workers carry flowers, Aarati
plate, camphor etc. to offer their traditional pujas to the Aabaranams.

 

There was a grand procession of
men, women and children, carrying traditional and very colorful umbrellas. The
elephant decked in typical Kerala ornaments led the way to receive the
Tiruvabaranam. Hundreds occupied the limited space available on the lawns of
the guest house and we found refuge for the night on the platform of a closed
shop. We knew we would have just a couple of hours to rest and by this time,
our minds and bodies were tuned to this basic comfort the yatra offered us.

 

As is their usual wont, Satish
and Harish had one more request. Is it possible that they could walk the entire
last lap in close proximity of the Tiruvabaranam?

 

Though each one had a security
pass, none of us were confident that we would be able to trek the final stretch
with the speed of the professional carriers. We were not sure if we would keep
pace with it or would be left behind to fend a multitude of Ayyappa Bhaktas. I
told them blindly placing my faith in Him, that Ayyappa would lead us into the
inner circle and we would have a comfortable journey.

 

 

14^th January

 

We decided that we would leave
some four hours in advance and wait at Neelimalai top, to join the
Tiruvabaranam group so we could get some rest and time to sneak back into the
group to keep pace with them. We started at 02-30 A.M. and through Plapally
Kotta Thevar Mandir, Neelakkal, reached Attathode from where only the ones with
passes trekked with the Tiruvabaranam. Others were politely diverted to
Nilackal and to Pamba from where they would take the normal route of Pamba
Ganapathi to Neelimalai and beyond.

 

Attathode and beyond

 

From Attathode, it is one steep
climb down to the stretch of Pamba, unpolluted by the teeming millions. From
here begins the most fascinating and the most tedious of our journey. Having
crossed Pamba, the other side was just a rocky terrain with the gentle flowing
Pamba to our right. Giant boulders protrude from nowhere and a false step could
spell disaster. It is this stretch that made us wonder how it is humanly
possible to carry the Tiruvabaranam caskets, balance deftly on the head while
stepping on each giant rock. Even the Raja’s palanquin bearers carried it so
deftly through the maze of the most dangerous rocky terrain one could possibly
choose to trek. It is in this stretch that Kodur Ravi and Diwakar lent me a
great hand and stood by me as I gasped for breath every tenth step.

 

Miles of such perilous walk
brought us to a stench of human excreta that announced the arrival of
Periyanavattam. It is a shame that while at the main Pamba, there are toilets
for the pilgrims, at Periyanavattam, the facilities are inadequate, forcing the
pilgrims to defecate in the forests. I wish the Devaswom and the police would
ensure that people are prevented to defiling the traditional route taken by the
Tiruvabaranam.

 

We walked through the Swamy’s
Poongavanam. The stretch from Periyanavattam to Neelimalai top was knee-breaking
and ankle-twisting ordeal. This is not the traditional route taken by Ayyappa
Bhaktas from Triveni Pamba, Pamba Ganapathi to Neelimalai. We needed to halt at
every five steps taken. And at one point, just 200 steps below Neelimala Top,
we accepted the offer of a tea stall to stretch our legs on the typical Kerala
mats that he spread generously for us on the sacred hill.

 

The Tiruvabaranam came hours
later. We rested and recuperated, so were fresh for the final lap of our
lifetime. For four hours before our arrival, people were stopped from trekking
right from Pamba Ganapathi. And those who had trekked earlier, were asked to
clear the route and stand beyond the iron barricade on each side, leaving the
entire trekking area from Neelimalai to Sannidhanam free for our uninterrupted mobility.
Policemen lined up on either side to ensure our route was free from incidents.

 

Diwakar and I got into the inner
circle of the Aabarana procession, immediately after Garuda was sighted at
Neelimala. Satish and Harish followed suit. Ravi
joined us instantly and we formed a chain around the Pettis as we st