About Sabarimala

Located in Pathanamthitta district in Kerala, the Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple is dedicated to Lord Ayyappa. Situated atop a hillock, the Sree Dharma Sastha Temple is surrounded by mountains and dense forests that are a part of the Periyar Tiger Reserve. It is one of the largest annual pilgrimage sites in the world, with an estimated 10 – 15 million pilgrims visiting the temple every year. What makes Sabarimala unique is the fact that this sacred hilltop, perched 3000 feet above sea level, transcends barriers of caste, creed and religion, welcoming all who seek spiritual solace.

Lord Ayyappa is worshipped in the Sabarimala Temple as a Naishtik Brahmachari, which means “in an eternal celibate state”.

The temple consists of a sanctum sanctorum with a gold-plated roof topped with four golden finials.  It is flanked by two Mandapams and a Balikalpura. The main stairway to the temple comprises 18 sacred steps that are covered with Panchaloha. A devotee is required to climb these steps only with Irumudi kettu, a sacred two-part bundle of offerings to the lord that they carry along all the way.

The Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha temple does not find any references in the ancient period. However, historians have found certain references to the temple during the late medieval period in the inscriptions of the Pandalam dynasty in the 12^th century. The temple rose to prominence as a major pilgrimage centre in the 20^th century.

The Sabarimala Temple is also the main temple managed by the Travancore Devaswom Board, which is an autonomous body in Kerala that oversees the management of over 1200 temples in the State