dhams and sacred places
What is the Sabarimala temple and who is eligible to make the pilgrimage there?
The temple and the deity
Sabarimala sits deep in the Western Ghats of Kerala, surrounded by forest. The presiding deity is Lord Ayyappa, who is understood in the tradition as a celibate god, a naisthika brahmachari. This quality of absolute celibacy is central to how the temple and its rules have long been understood. The shrine is not open all year. The main pilgrimage season, called Mandala-Makaravilakku, draws millions of devotees. A key moment in this season is Makaravilakku, when a star called Makarajyothi appears in the sky above the hills, which devotees regard as a divine sign.
The vows a pilgrim takes
Before setting out, pilgrims observe a 41-day period of strict discipline called a vratam. During this time they eat simply, sleep on the floor, avoid alcohol and non-vegetarian food, and keep away from worldly pleasures. They wear a black or blue cloth and a mala, a beaded garland, placed around the neck by a priest. Wearing the mala marks the beginning of the vow. The pilgrim is addressed as Ayyappa during this period, and other devotees greet each other with the call Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa. The journey ends at the temple with the climb up the Pathinettam Padi, the 18 sacred steps, each of which carries its own spiritual meaning in the tradition.
The question of who could enter
For many decades, women roughly between the ages of ten and fifty, those considered to be of menstruating age, were not permitted to climb the 18 steps and enter the inner shrine. The traditional reasoning given was that Ayyappa's celibate nature made it improper for women of that age group to be present. Women outside that age range, both younger girls and older women, were allowed. In 2018 the Supreme Court of India ruled that this restriction was unconstitutional and that all women had the right to enter. The ruling was contested by many devotees and temple authorities, and the situation has remained a subject of debate. In practice, entry by women of menstruating age has been rare and at times met with protest. This is an ongoing and unresolved matter in both law and tradition.
The 18 steps
The Pathinettam Padi, the 18 steps leading to the sanctum, are considered sacred in themselves. The tradition holds that a pilgrim must have completed the 41-day vow to climb them. Each step is linked to a meaning in the tradition, though interpretations vary. Climbing them is seen as the final and most important act of the pilgrimage.
Today
Sabarimala draws one of the largest annual gatherings of pilgrims anywhere in the world. Devotees come from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and from the Indian diaspora abroad. The pilgrimage cuts across caste and community lines in a way that is often noted as distinctive. The debate over women's entry continues, with strong feelings on both sides. Some devotees hold that the traditional restriction is inseparable from the nature of the deity. Others, including the Supreme Court, have taken the view that exclusion on grounds of biology cannot stand. The temple and its traditions remain very much alive and very much discussed.