Sabarimala Temple
The Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple (Malayalam pronunciation: [ʃabəɾimala]) is a Hindu temple that is devoted to the worship of a deity named Ayyappan, also known as Dharma Shasta. Ayyappan is believed to be the son of Shiva and Mohini (Female avatar of Lord Vishnu). The temple is situated atop a hill in the village of Ranni-Perunad, within the Ranni Taluk of the Pathanamthitta district in the state of Kerala, India. The temple is surrounded by 18 hills in the Periyar Tiger Reserve. It is one of the largest annual pilgrimage sites in the world, with an estimate of over 10 to 15 million devotees visiting every year.
| Sabarimala Sree Ayyappan Temple | |
|---|---|
The temple of Ayyappan in Sabarimala, Kerala | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| District | Pathanamthitta |
| Deity | Ayyappan |
| Festivals | Makaravilakku, Makara Sankranti (14th January) |
| Governing body | Travancore Devaswom Board |
| Location | |
| Location | Sabarimala |
| State | Kerala |
| Country | India |
Sabarimala Temple (Kerala) Sabarimala Temple (India) | |
| Geographic coordinates | 9°26′04.6″N 77°04′53.0″E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Kerala Architecture (Traditional Kerala Vastu Shastra) |
| Creator | As per tradition Vishwakarma, Pandhalam King Rajasekhara, (sculptor) is believed to be Parashurama |
| Completed | 11th century; the temple site is older |
| Elevation | 1,260 m (4,134 ft) |
| Website | |
| sabarimala | |
The temple is open for worship only during the days of Mandala Pooja (approximately 15 November to 26 December), Makaravilakku or "Makara Sankranti" (14 January), and Maha Thirumal Sankranti (14 April), and the first five days of each Malayalam month. The Sabarimala pilgrimage includes a unique tradition of offering prayer at the mosque of Vavar, a Muslim devotee of Ayappan. The Sabarimala Temple serves as a prime example of the amalgamation of several religious traditions within the Indian context.
In the year 1991, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was initiated, leading to the Kerala High Court issuing a directive to the Devaswom Board to uphold the traditional practises of the temple. These practises encompassed the prohibition of women of a certain age group, rather than a blanket exclusion of women, from accessing the temple premises.
On September 28, 2018, the Supreme Court of India rendered a decision, wherein a panel consisting of four male justices and one female judge voted by a majority of 4-1 to invalidate the prohibition on female entry inside the temple, where the female judge, Justice Indu Malhotra, voted in favor of the prohibition.