Impact of Sabarimala Temple and Lord Ayyappa Cult in the Culture of Kerala

Abstract

Sabarimala Temple and the Lord Ayyappa cult is associated with the culture and traditions of the land of Kerala or the South West strip of the nation, along the western ghats, from time dating back to CE 6th Century to the current times. The temple and the deity are integrated with the land of Kerala irrespective of the religion, caste, creed and the different localities of living. The Lord Ayyappa cult is directly influencing the psychology and physiology of the people across the land at different levels of engagement which will be enumerated in the study below with distinct variables. The aim of the study is to discuss this in detail while is actively forming the thought process of the society which is passively affecting the socio-economic scenario having more influence in the spiritual pursuits of a large mass. This is specifically aiming at the pilgrims who are also called as Ayyappans, Manikantans (Boy Pilgrim), Malikkapuram (Female Pilgrim) and the Guruswami (The pilgrim who as climbed the 18 holysteps, Pathinettam Padi, and has visited the Sabarimala with full 41 days of vrutham (penance), with a minimum of 18 times. There are mentions of many Guruswamis like Kulathinal Ganghadharan Pillai, Aloor Parameshwaran Nair and many more regionally. The study is detailed with the support of review of literature, personal interviews and direct visit to locations of importance. The Ayyappa cult and the annual pilgrimage to the temple is an undisputed cultural trait of the people of the region.