Deep in the forested Western Ghats of Kerala, atop the Sabari hills, stands the Sabarimala temple of Lord Ayyappa — Dharma Sastha, revered as Hariharaputra, the son born of Shiva and of Vishnu in his enchanting Mohini form. One of the most visited pilgrimage sites in the world, it draws millions who undertake a demanding vow to reach the Lord, who sits in eternal yogic meditation upon the hill.
Pilgrims prepare through a forty-one-day austerity (vratham) of simplicity and devotion, wear black or blue, and carry the irumudi bundle upon their heads, ascending at last the sacred eighteen steps (Pathinettam Padi) to the shrine, their journey resounding with the cry "Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa." The festival of Makaravilakku, when a divine light appears on the distant hills, is its most sacred moment.
Set amid pristine forest along the Pamba river, Sabarimala is a pilgrimage of austerity and surrender, drawing devotees from every background.
