Sabarimala
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A hilltop forest shrine of Lord Ayyappa in the Western Ghats, visited by millions of pilgrims each season after a period of austerity.
Pilgrimage sitePathanamthitta district, inside the Periyar Tiger ReserveBest time to visit: Mandala–Makaravilakku season (mid-November to mid-January), and the first days of each Malayalam month
Highlights
- Pilgrims observe a vow (vratham), traditionally for 41 days, wearing black or blue and eating simple food
- The irumudi kettu, a two-part bundle of offerings carried on the head
- The eighteen holy steps (pathinettam padi) to the sanctum
- Trek from Pamba through the forest to the shrine
Significance
Sabarimala is one of the largest annual pilgrimages in India. Pilgrims of all castes and backgrounds address each other as ‘Swami’, and a shrine to Vavar, a Muslim companion of Ayyappa, stands near the temple.