Lord Ayyappa’s ‘Kalari’ set for a make over

ALAPPUZHA: The ‘Swami Pura’ or ‘kalari pura’, where Lord Ayyappa is believed to have taken his martial art lessons (‘kalari murakal’) from the Kalari Gurukkal of Cheerappanchira family at Muhamma in Alappuzha, is getting a facelift.

With another Sabarimala season under way, the Cherappanchira family, which owns the Pura, have decided to renovate it so as to provide better facilities for pilgrims who visit it on their way to Sabarimala.

The Pura is still being preserved in its original form by the present generation of the family. Devotees who arrive at the Pura also visit the Mukkalvattam Swamy Ayyappa Temple near the hermitage.

“The renovation plans include landscaping, boundary protection, an Ayurvedic garden, a prayer-cum-spiritual seminar hall-cum-auditorium, an ‘annadaana centre’, Navagraha Pooja facility, bath, cloakroom & comfort stations for the devotees and anything and everything helpful for the needy,” says 67-year-old M Balasubramanyam, who now owns the Pura. “After completing his studies, Ayyappa quit the Pura. However, to pay the Lord a visit, the Kalarimooppan (guru) used to frequent Sabarimala. But before long, his ailing body would not let him make the pilgrimage. So, Ayyappa made arrangements for building a temple near the mooppan’s hermitage, which is now the Mukkalvattam temple,” says Balasubramanyam.

Earlier, a sword believed to have been used by Lord Ayyappa was stolen from the Swami Pura.

“We’ll soon install a new sword in its place after conducting poojas,” he added. For more details website: www.muhammasabarimala.org.