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Lord Ayyappa: Who He Is, Sabarimala and the 41-Day Vratham

Who Lord Ayyappa is: son of Shiva and Mohini (Vishnu), god of Sabarimala. The 41-day vratham, the irumudi, the 18 steps, Makaravilakku and Harivarasanam.

FromThe team at DiyaPublished

The short answer

Ayyappa (Ayyappan, Dharma Sastha, Manikandan) is a Hindu god worshipped above all in Kerala and South India.

He is described as the son of Shiva and of Vishnu in the form of Mohini, which is why he is called Hariharaputra. His most famous temple is Sabarimala in Kerala, where millions of pilgrims come each Mandala season, mid-November to late December, after a 41-day vratham of celibacy, simple vegetarian food and black clothing. The season ends with Makaravilakku in mid-January.

Who is Lord Ayyappa?

Ayyappa (also Ayyappan, Dharma Sastha, Manikandan) is a Hindu god loved across South India, and above all in Kerala. In Hindu theology he is the son of Harihara: Shiva, and Vishnu in his female form as Mohini. That is why he is called Hariharaputra, "son of Hari (Vishnu) and Hara (Shiva)", and why both Shaiva and Vaishnava devotees worship him. His great temple is Sabarimala in Kerala.

At Sabarimala he is worshipped as a lifelong celibate yogi, which shapes the whole pilgrimage.

Sabarimala: Ayyappa's temple

The Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple, high in the forested hills of Pathanamthitta district, is the most famous of all the Sastha temples in Kerala. Unlike most temples, it is not open all year: it opens only for the Mandala puja season, Makaravilakku, Vishu and the first days of each Malayalam month. Pilgrims climb the Pathinettam Padi, the 18 holy steps, to reach the shrine.

The Mandala season and the 41-day vratham

The 41-day Mandala season begins with the Malayalam month of Vrishchikam, in mid-November, and ends on December 27. Pilgrims prepare with a 41-day vow (vratham) before they go:

  • Celibacy for the full 41 days.
  • Black or blue clothing for the whole vow.
  • A simple vegetarian diet.
  • Chanting "Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa", "Lord Ayyappa, you are my refuge".
  • Humility: pilgrims call one another "Swami", seeing the Lord in each other.

The irumudi and Neyyabhishekam

Every pilgrim carries the irumudi (or pallikettu), a two-compartment cloth bag carried on the head. At the shrine the ghee is poured over the image of Ayyappa in the Neyyabhishekam. The prasadam pilgrims bring home is aravana payasam and appam.

Makaravilakku and Harivarasanam

After the Mandala puja the temple closes briefly and reopens for the Makaravilakku season. It ends in mid-January with the Makaravilakku deeparadhana at the shrine and the sighting of the sacred Makarajyothi light at Ponnambalamedu.

Each night, the temple closes with Harivarasanam, an ode to Lord Ayyappa sung as a lullaby before the sanctum doors close. Read and listen to it with its meaning: Harivarasanam lyrics in English.

How to pray to Ayyappa at home

  1. Light a diya before a picture of Ayyappa.
  2. Chant Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa 108 times, or the mantra Om Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa.
  3. Sing or play Harivarasanam at night.

Diya, the app, has Harivarasanam to listen to with its meaning, and a daily diya to light. Diya is available for iPhone. See the Diya app.

Questions people ask

Who is Lord Ayyappa?

Ayyappa is a Hindu god, the son of Shiva and of Vishnu in his female form Mohini. He is worshipped as Dharma Sastha, a celibate yogi and protector, above all at Sabarimala in Kerala.

Why pray to Ayyappa?

Devotees pray to Ayyappa for discipline, protection and the strength to keep their vows. The 41-day vratham itself is the heart of the devotion: living simply, chanting his name and treating everyone as a form of the divine.

Does Ayyappa have a wife?

No. At Sabarimala Ayyappa is worshipped as a naishtika brahmachari, a lifelong celibate, which is why pilgrims keep celibacy during the vratham.

What is special about Sabarimala?

Sabarimala opens only for set seasons, mainly Mandala and Makaravilakku, and pilgrims reach it on foot through forest after a 41-day vow, carrying the irumudi on their heads and climbing the 18 holy steps.

What do Ayyappa devotees say to each other?

"Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa", "Lord Ayyappa, you are my refuge". Pilgrims also call each other "Swami", since everyone on the pilgrimage is seen as a form of the Lord.

Research notes

Sources

Follow the reading behind this article through the references below. Each source represents its own author, institution, or tradition.

  1. Sree Ayyappa Temple, Gandhidham

    Sree Ayyappa Temple, Gandhidham

  3. Kerala's Sabarimala Temple Opens for Annual Pilgrimage Season

    Hindu Press InternationalPublished by Hinduism Today

  5. Sabarimala pilgrimage season

    Kerala TourismPublished by Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala

  6. Harivarasanam centenary celebrations

    Sabarimala Ayyappa Seva Samajam

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