mudā karāttamōdakm sadā vimukti sādhakam kalādharāvatamsakam vilāsilōkaraksakam | anāyakaikanāyakam vināsitēbhadaityakam natāsubhāsunāsakam namāmi tam vināyakam ||
Dedicated to My Panayannārkāvil Amma
On the 6th of July 1980, Anu Ananthan was born in Parumala, Pathanamthitta District, Kerala, as the son of Smt Pushpakumari and Sri Ananthan Āchāri, a famous sculptor, hailing from the traditional Tamil Viswakarma family, ‘Kaattumpurath’. They were fortunate enough to design and build many Dhwajas (Flag poles), sculptures and other temple-related construction works for many temples across the world.
Along with his father, Anu Ananthan was blessed to be an active participant and the key aid in the construction of the flagpole (Dhwaja) at Śabarimala. He also happens to be one among the blessed devotees of Lord Ayyappa, who was fortunate enough to bring the ‘Vājivāhana’ of the Lord to the Sannidhānam. (‘Vājivāhana’ is the idol of the horse of Lord Ayyappa that has been set on the apex of the flagpole.)
Anu Ananthan is one among the disciples of Sri Vēzhaparambil Chithrabhanu Namboothiripad, the Vāsthu Scholar, and Vēda Shirōmani.
The Director of Artisans Handicrafts & Metals, Artisans Maintenance & Traditional Trading Company, and Ambadi Productions. Anu Ananthan is also popular as a producer and presenter in the Malayalam television and film industry.
A documentary “Sabareeshante Dwajasthambam’’, which details and visualizes the construction, significance, and greatness of the ‘Dhwaja’ of Śabarimala was made by him. This very same project was conceived and directed by him. Famous Publishers, DC Books released a book titled ‘Ayyappanum Silpiyum’ written by him in May 2022.
He is an undergraduate in Mathematics from MG university. He follows the path of Temple Architecture and is married to Dr. Lakshmi from Chennai. Their son Kashi Nathan is 7 years old. His only sibling Anitha is married to Dr. Rajesh.
Address: Kattumpurathu Veedu, Parumala PO, Thiruvalla, Pathanamthitta, Kerala. 689626. Ph: +91-9747073737 email: anuananthan4509@gmail.com
Author: Anukumar P. Ananthan
Special Thanks :
Cover Design : Ragesh Narayan, Shibin, Pandot Designs
English Translation : Manju Ajikumar Villwadri
Layout : Anil Kumar, Printongrafix, Mannar.
Photos : Unni, TDB
Available in Book Stores and Online for : ` 350
Copyright © Anukumar P. Ananthan & Phoenix Foundation All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof maynot be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author and Phoenix Foundation except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
“There is more treasure in books than in all the pirates’ loot on Treasure Island”.
I met Sri Anu Ananthan about one and a half-decade ago. But it’s been only a few years since he became my close friend and it is the discussion and debates that occurred between us that nurtured our friendship. The most important topic among those was spirituality.
Anu is not a person who follows the philosophy of living a meager life rather he is a person who commutes joyfully in the spiritual realms even while gaining success in his field of work. It is the spiritual path chosen by the brave people that enables him to face any obstacles in his life. He often seemed to achieve insight into anything through spirituality, enabling accurate knowledge and innovation in material things.
In this way, Anu Ananthan had marked spiritual knowledge in many ways from the perspective of his own experience, which is a reserve for the future generations and in a sense, more treasured than the island. I wish to see this book “Manimandapam & Thankadwajam” as its sequel.
Anu molded the content of this book from his own experience as he is from a family renowned for Dhwaja
constructions. There are many signs of construction skills, including the Sabarimala Golden Flagpole, to be proud of.
This book gives a comprehensive knowledge about Sabarimala. He scrutinizes the stories we heard and the realities and imaginations in them. The author raises a question regarding the actual identity of Ayyappa in the present society. While answering this, Anu expresses his special skill of adding his own found knowledge while accepting scholarly opinions. As mentioned at the outset, even when though this composition focuses on spirituality its content is not a rejection of materialism. There are not many books in Malayalam literature that specifies the temple construction in Kerala. I do not doubt that the advent of this book “Manimandapam & Thankadwajam“ into such a group is like a majestic elephant. I express my sincere gratitude for the opportunity to write such a note for this book. Vivek
MuzhakkunnuKērala is a temple city. A land blessed with innumerable Hindu temples. The deities worshipped here play an important role in the prosperity of Kērala and its people. The flagpole in front of the sanctum sanctorum has always been an integral part of many temples since ancient times. The Kērala generation had always paid respect to the flagpole similar to the idol in the temple. However, with the passage of time, most of the temples have built golden flagpoles to their deities and offer what they can. Sri P.P. Ananthan Achari born in the Kāttumpurathu family in Parumala is a sculptor, was fortunate enough to build Dhwaja called Kodimaram in all the famous temples of Kērala. During the construction of those flagpoles, he could design, complete, and dedicate the Sabarimala Golden Flagpole, which is the greatest aspiration of a sculptor, to the deity. Anu Ananthan the son of Parumala Ananthan Achari and the author of the book was able to acquire knowledge of all aspects of Dhwaja construction which he joined with his father at a very young age during the period making of this flagpole. The book “Manimandapam & Thankadhwajam” arose from the desire of the author to share with devotees across the world his experiences regarding the Sabarimala Golden Flagpole which had an immense influence on his mind, who had never previously thought of writing such a book.
The author, through this book not only shares about the Golden Flagpole at Sabarimala with his readers but also about Sabarimala, Manimandapam, Dharmaśāstā’s incarnation Aryan Kēralan and many more things that others haven’t said. This book is also an authentic record of the Sabarimala golden flagpole erected on June 25, 2017. While the author writes this book in a very simple language and makes us understand it, this book becomes a great source of knowledge and insight for the readers. We thus have the pleasure of dedicating this book to you.
The book ‘Manimandapam & Thankadhwajam’ gives an insight into the newly constructed golden flagpole and the Manimandapam where Lord Śree Manikanta resides at Sabarimala. The Śabarimala temple, an interfaith pilgrimage center, the eighteen holy steps (Pathinettāmpadi), and the rituals performed there are mentioned in many books. I son of Parumala Sri Ananthan Āchari, who is the main sculptor in Dhwaja construction, am an active participant in Dhwaja construction and wrote this book as a wish to share the knowledge about Śree Dharmaśāstā, Manimandapam, the reality of Mālikapurathamma, the unknown story of Aryankēralan who is known as Manikantan, and all the events that happened throughout the Dhwaja construction including the decisions taken from beginning to its consecration, are expressed to create devotion, faith and urge to know more and more about Śabarimala. Undoubtedly, this book will be able to provide authentic documents of history related to the construction of the Śabarimala Golden Flagpole which was erected on June 25, 2017.
I express my sincere gratitude to Her Highness Aswathy Thirunāl Gowri Lakshmi Bhāi, the then royal representative Sri Sasikumara Varma, Sri Narayana Varma, Brahmasri Kandararu Rajeevararu who holds the patriarchal position of Lord Ayyappa, Vāsthu intellect and my mentor Brahmashri Vēzhaparambu Chitrabhānu Nampoothirippadu, Rānni
Kunnaykkāttu Sri Ratheesh Kurup who is the Guruthi Kurup of Śabarimala, Sponsors Sri Suresh Chukkapalli, Sri Ramesh Chukkapalli, Gopikrishna Patibanda, Adv. Commissioner Sri. A.S.P Kurup, my father and Chief Sculptor of the new Golden Flagpole Sri Ananthan Achari, Thrippalloor Sri Sadashivan Achari, and Srimati Manju Ajikumar for giving all the necessary instructions to successfully complete this book.
CHAPTER – 1 SREE DHARMAŚĀSTĀ 17 CHAPTER – 2 ŚABARIMALA FLAGPOLE HISTORY-NEW HISTORY
CHAPTER – 3 MANI-MANDAPAM
CHAPTER – 5 DHWAJA VISHESHAM (SPECIALITY OF DWAJASTHAMBAM).............71
CHAPTER – 6 NEW GOLDEN FLAGPOLE TO THE THOUGHTS
CHAPTER – 7 IDEAL TREE AT KŌNNI ......................................82 CHAPTER – 8 THAILADHIVASAM AT PAMBA
CHAPTER – 9 THE GOODNESS OF MOTHER’S MIND
97 CHAPTER – 10 SACRED COMMENCEMENT AT PARUMALA 102 CHAPTER – 11 DEDICATED MOMENTS AT THE WORKPLACE
CHAPTER – 13 PAMPA IN GOLDEN GLEAM
CHAPTER – 18 THROUGH THE WORDS OF GURUBHRAMASREE VEZHAPARAMBIL CHITHRABHANU NAMBOOTHIRIPAD
Dyāyētcchāru jadā nibadhamakudam divyāmbaram njānamudrōdyadkshakaram prasannavadanam jānusthahasthētharam mēghaśyāmalakōmalam suranutham śreeyōgapattāmbaram vijnānapradamapramēya sushamam śreebhoothanatham vibhum.
Meditate the ubiquitous one, the Lord of all beings, who wore a crown on his beautiful matted hair, the one who wears a divine attire, the one who has Jñana-mudra in his right hand, the one who has a pleasant face, the one who places his left hand over his knee, the one who has a pretty black colored body like clouds, the one who is being praised by the Gods, the one who sits on a Yogapatta pose, the one who provides vidya (knowledge) and the one who has magnificent fulgent all over the world.
The Dharmaśāstā is the one who shows the right path of Dharma.
Śree Dharmaśāstā, Hariharātmaja (son of Hari and Hara) is the one who shows the direct path to the Adwaita that Jeevātma and Paramātma are the same and the universal truth that “Tatvamasi’’ means ‘That thou art’. Legend has it that during the Dwāpara Yuga, Bhargavarāman (Paraśurāma) has done the consecration of many temples in Kerala, including Śāstā temples, Durga temples, and Śiva temples. It is said that Paraśurāma brought 100 Brāhmin villages from outside Kerala and dedicated Śāstā temples and other temples for their protection. Paraśurāma brought Brāhmin villages from Andhra Pradesh who lived at the banks of river Krishna. Among these villages, the ones who walked over the river were called Tharananellur and those who overcame the river by walking on the sand below the river reciting mantras were called Thāzhamonmath. Paraśurāma allotted the Tāntric rights of all the Śāstā temples to the Thāzhamon family and that of other temples to both the Thāzhamon and Tharananellur families.
Durga temples, Śiva, and Vishnu temples in forests were established to protect the Brāhmin villages near the river banks from the annoyance of the water deities. Also, Śāstā temples were established to guard the forest and spaces around it. This Śāstā was called Sree Dharmaśāstā, in the sense of a warrior or guardian deity.
Among the Śāstā temples known to have been built by Paraśurāma today are the Kulathūpuzha, Āryankaav, Acchankōvil, Śabarimala, and Kānthamalai temples. Apart from this, there was a Muthayyanār temple in the village of Suri near Papanāsam in Tirunelvēli in Tamil Nadu, and the
God of that village, the Muthayyanār Temple is also known as the Suri Muthayyanār Temple. It is said that this temple is Sāsta temple and was dedicated by Sage Agastya before Paraśurāma.
Kulathūpuzha Sree Dharmaśāstā Temple is one of the Dharmaśāstā temples dedicated by Paraśurāma as a remedy for the sin of manslaughter. The Tāraka Brahmam, God Sri Dharmaśāstā, is enshrined here as a Bālakan(a small boy). The legend has it that the Water maiden was allowed to live in the form of a fish, who tried to seduce the celibate Bālaśāstā. The multitude of fish in the temple yard is called “Thirumakkal’’. The most important offering at this temple for healing is feeding these fishes (Meenoottu) playing around in the river.
In Āryankaav, Ayyappan was consecrated by Paraśurāma in the form of a handsome bachelor on an elephant. He is also considered the Lord of a thousand sacred groves or Kaav. Gaja (Elephant) forms on the floor of the Koovala tree ( Bael tree) in Āryankaav are worshipped with great importance. It is said that śāsta was worshipped to get rid of the annoyance of the elephant inside the temple forest. The Lord is not raised on an elephant here since the elephant was chased away. The Indilayappan deity is also very important here. It is said that the śila idol consecrated by Paraśurāma is still kept in the Sanctum sanctorum and poojas are done on all Pournami days.
A Brāhmin girl, the daughter of the Guru, became enamored with Āryan, a young boy, who had gone from Āryankaav to Pāndya Nadu for arms training. Āryan rejected her enamor by saying that his decision was to live as Naishtik Brahmachāri, but she left home along with Āryan, who came back after arms training to Āryankaav. Āryan was the Chaitanya (consciousness) of śāsta. Arriving at Āryankaav, she vanished into the idol of śāsta. But a woman living with the unmarried Śāsta created many riots in the village. By understanding this, a prominent Brāhmin enchanter in the village invoked the Goddess and installed her at Māmpazhathara. Māmpazhathara Bhagavati temple is 50km away from Āryankaav temple.
As per the promise given to Māmpazhathara Bhagavati, a wedding ceremony is conducted every year on the Thiruvāthira Nakshatra day in the Malayalam month Dhanu. Since the Āryankaav temple is located at the border of Kerala and Tamilnadu, they perform Malayalam rituals inside Nālambalam and Tamil rituals for the festival. Tirukalyānam (marriage of Lord Śāsta with Māmpazhathara Bhagavati) is conducted on the coming Thiruvātira after the festival begins. The Malayalam devotees and Trāvancōre Dēvaswom Board representatives attended as the relatives of the Lord (Bridegroom) and Tamil Brāhmins as the relatives of the bride Māmpazhathara Bhagavati. The wedding rituals in the beginning are held at the palace in the temple vicinity. For the wedding, the God and Goddess are seated on a flower-decorated palanquin and led to the tirukalyāna mandapa (wedding hall) made out of a single stone for conducting marriage rituals by seating them on a swing peetham. After the main wedding rituals, the Dēvi is declared to be in the menstrual period before tying the Mangalsutra.
As its symbol, the elder member among the bride’s relatives raises a red silky cloth and declares the marriage is adjourned. The ceremonies will end on the next day with the cleansing of the temple by the purification process.
Paraśurāma installed the Sree Dharmaśāstā at Acchankōvil as a royal Grihasthāśrami (family man) with his consorts Poorna and Pushkala, sitting on Veerapatta pose. As it is one of the forest temples, here the concept is that the Lord Śāsta is a Grihastāśrami (with his consorts). Also known as Vaidya Śāsta, the kalabham (sandal paste) on the right hand of the Lord is a divine medicine for those who suffer from poisoning. This is one of the few temples that open at night after the Athāzhapooja (supper). Those who are poisoned can call for help at any time by ringing the bell on the east tower. Acchankōvil Sree Dharmaśāstā temple is one of the important temples where the chariot festival (Radhōtsavam) is celebrated in Kerala.
The famous Śabarimala temple, amidst eighteen hills located at an altitude of 1,155m (3,790ft), rose to prominence only from the twelfth century. Śabarimala Sree Dharmaśāstā Temple, dedicated to Lord Ayyappa is located in the Periyar Tiger Reserve on Kerala’s side of the Western Ghats in the Perinad Village, Pathanamthitta district, Kerala. Śabarimala, where millions of devotees visit every year carrying irumudikettu after strict fasting, experiencing spiritual fulfillment, is an interfaith pilgrimage center in South India. The 18 holly hills - Talappāramala, Kālakettimala (Gōpāramala), Putussērikānam, Karimala, Inchippāramala, Nilaykalmala, Tēvarmala, Sreepādamala, Vattamala, Sundaramala,
Nāgamala, Neelimala, Mātamgamala, Śabarimala, Mayilāttummētu, Chittambalamētu, Ponnambalamēt and Goutamamala (Gountarmala) forms the Poonkāvanam of Lord Ayyappa. Among these hills, Ponnambalamēt and Śabarimala are prominent as they are related to Lord Sāsta and his incarnation Lord Ayyappa respectively.
Lord Sāsta is contemplated as the Dēvata who emerged millions of years ago as an amalgamation of the jñana (knowledge) of Lord Śiva and Vishnu-māya (merciful charm) of Lord Vishnu. Here, Vishnu-māya is the Mōhini Avatar of Lord Vishnu, who emerged from the churning of the ocean (Pālazhimadhanam) to help the Gods retain their immortality by acquiring the Amrita Kumbha from Asuras (demons) and returning it to the Devas (Gods). According to Bhagavata Purana, Lord Śiva became fascinated by her beauty and the energy emanating from their unification resulted in the birth of Ayyappa, the Lord of Pancha Bhootas. Lord Ayyappa is also known as Harihara Puthra. Lord Ayyappa an incarnation of Lord Sāsta of Ponnambalamēt, is a unique concept of a lord as Naishtika- brahmachāri (eternal celibate) or bāla-yōgi. As mentioned above, Lord Sāsta resides as Bāla Sāsta at Kulathūpuzha in Punalur taluk of Kollam district, as a handsome teenager on an elephant with a left leg folded and right leg in suspended posture at Āryankaav, as a powerful king sitting at Ardha-padmāsana pose along with his two consorts Purna and Pushkala at Acchankōvil, as a Naishtika- brahmachāri at Śabarimala and in the form of Vānaprastha at Ponnambalamēt.
At Śabarimala, Śāstā resides on Padma Peetham in Yoga Patta pose, in kundalini form. It is a yoga mudra, a form of padmāsana. He is believed to be sitting in meditation after completing the purpose of his incarnation. Hence we can
think the yogapatta pose is the destiny of Sāsta, who wants to practice penance for a long time. Thus, Neyyabhishēkam is performed to cool the heat as it radiates through the navel of Lord Ayyappa in the form of Kundalini. According to the Indian concept, only three Hindu idols- the Dakshināmoorthy, the Yoga Narasimha, and Sree Dharmaśāstā are seen in this yogapatta pose.
We know that everyone including science agrees that the human body consists of 72,000 nādis. Most important among these Nadis (nerve) are the Ida, Pingala, and Sushumna. The Pingala nādi is what works when we exhale and Ida nādi works when we inhale. The Sushumna nādi (spinal cord) opens only when the breath comes out. The main channel, Sushumna, runs through the spine where seven Chakrās are located. The Sushumna is the connection between the earth, physical life, heaven, our higher awareness, and our spiritual existence. Ida and Pingala Nādis running alongside the Sushumna activate the left and right sides of the brain respectively and help our body and mind to self-regulate and heal imbalances.
The human body is made up of Pancha bhootās, i.e. Earth, Water, Agni, Air, and Sky. The seven Chakrās in the human body are associated with these five elements. When the prāna comes out of these seven chakrās-mooladhāra, Swadhishtanam, Manipoorakam, Anāhatam, Vishudhi, Ānja, and Sahasrāra, one attains Self-realization. When the air begins to flow equally through the Ida and Pingala nādis, it awakens the enigmatic divine power Kundalini called Prāna that sleeps at Moolādhara Chakra and allows it to rise through the Sushumna nādi, leading to salvation. During long penance, one can unblock the nādis by the action of Yoga and Mudra, then the energy of kundalini uncoils and
rises from Moolādhara chakra through the Sushumna nādi and comes out of Sahasrāra Chakra by breaking the Ānjā chakra. Ayyappa is the one who can remove the three impurities- ego, illusion, and karma from his life and unite their individual soul with the supreme soul and experience that divine blissful state of the union. Thus, the Ayyappa who can unite the individual soul with the supreme soul after conquering the mind and Panchabhoothās is called Chinmudrāngithan. Chin-Mudra is the union of the two words, ‘chit’ and ‘mudra’ wherein ‘chit’ is consciousness, ‘mudra’ is a gesture. Samādhi or complete unification of body-mind-soul, which is the goal of the yogic life, attains supreme consciousness only when the individual consciousness reaches beyond the body, emotions, and intellect. Thus it means that salvation can be attained only through human life. Then we are able to see the Gurunātha who reigns as the father of all five elements and the mind. This Gurunātha shows us that the Lord and the devotees are one and the same and are not divided into Jeevātma and Paramātma. Don’t be afraid, fear originates only when duality exists. In fact, through this idol, Lord Ayyappa teaches us that ‘everything you seek is within you and you are the truth’. A pilgrim is addressed as Ayyappa with the belief that in the course of strict fasting during the mandala period, (41 days) he unites with the Lord.
The Irumudikettu (a two-compartment bag) which is carried by the Ayyappa devotees who had observed strict fasting, is an inseparable item during the Śabarimala pilgrimage. The two compartments are identified as the ‘munmudi’ (front side) and ‘pinmudi’ (backside). It is believed that ‘munmudi’( front portion) is for Lord Ayyappa, which is filled with the pooja articles such as ghee filled
coconut, camphor, aval (beaten-rice flakes), malar (puffedrice flakes), whereas the ‘pinmudi’ (back portion), is for keeping the food items of the devotee which is considered as the ‘birth sin’. The ghee prasādam received as a birth fortune while returning after the darshan is like the God’s blessings we get and by then the pinmudi will disappear.
Now I think it is appropriate to mention here about Śabarimala where Lord Śree Ayyappa resides and the way for the devotees to reach there.
Śabari-peetham is considered a sacred place where Śabari was blessed by Lord Rama in Trētā-Yuga. It is also the catchment area of the famous Pampa river and its tributaries. The Śabarimala forms the bulk of the Reserve Evergreen Forests of the Periyar Game Sanctuary (tiger reserve). In ancient days, the temple could only be approached by forest footpaths via Erumēli, Satram, Uppupāra, and Lāha (via Nilakkal and Attattōt). Among the six major routes to Śabarimala, two are from Erumēli viz. the existing trekking route and the other vehicular road formed under the CRF Scheme via Pampa Valley touching Tulāppalli and Elavunkal. The trekking route from Erumēli (42km up to Trivēni and thence 4km to Sannidhānam) is the first and most important traditional path. It is believed that Lord Ayyappa himself used this route for his last journey from Erumēli to his abode at Śabarimala (after slaying Mahishi) before merging with the ethereal power of Lord Sāsta at Ponnambalamēt. The famous Araśumuti-kōtta and Śree Śiva-Pārvati temple at Kālaketti are on this trekking path. Araśumuti-kōtta is believed to be a place where Lord Ayyappa and his soldiers took a rest after their encounter with Udayanan, the Marava robber. Śree Śiva-Pārvati temple at Kālaketti is presumed to be a sacred spot where Lord Śiva
tied his vehicle, Nandi, to a tree while watching the victorious dance of Lord Ayyappa. Another famous place on this trekking route is Karimala where Udayana was beheaded by Manikantan with his sword, who was defeated in a fierce duel by Kochukadutha, the lieutenant of Lord Ayyappa. It is believed that Lord Ayyappa and his soldiers have drunk water to quench their thirst from the two ancient wells on the top of Karimala after their fight with the Marava robber, Udayanan. The third route but the second traditional route is the Tiruvābharanam (Lord’s ornaments) route from Pantalam via Laha-Nilaikal-Attattot. The fourth route is via Kōzhikkānam, Uppupāra, and Pānditāvalam to Sannidhānam. The fifth route passes through Vandiperiyār touching Satram, Pulmēt, and Pānditāvalam to Sannidhānam. The sixth route is via Perunāt-Plāppalli, Nilaikal, and Chālakkayam. The Chālakkayam-Trivēni road is the most accessible road to Śabarimala.
I had already mentioned above that the distance from Pampa to Sannidhānam is about 4km. On this path, there is a place called Appācchimēt with very steep gorges on both sides between the Pambāsarass and Marakkoottam. On this path, there is a place called Appācchimēt with very steep gorges on both sides between the Pambāsarass and Marakkoottam, and this place is believed to be the seat of evil spirits thus, pilgrims propitiate them by throwing offerings of Ari-unta (rice-powder-balls) into these gorges. Śaramkuthi, which is beyond Marakkootam, is an important ancient place where devotees deposit bows, arrows, clubs, spears, etc on Śaramkuttiyāl after the Erumēli Pēttathullal with the intention to ward off their ego and to become true devotees by surrendering before the Lord. Devotees used to travel only in groups to Sannidhānam for Bhagwat darshan
chanting the mantra “Swamiye Saranamayyappa”. Thus, the main shrine of Śabarimala temple where Lord Ayyappa resides opens at 5 am for Nirmalya Darshan and closes at 10 pm with the reciting of the sacred lullaby Harivarasanam.
The temple at Ponnambalamēt was completely demolished including the idol by a Marava robber Udayanan in 1178 A.D. From the 12th century onwards, the place where the Chaitanya (power) of the deity of Lord Sāsta still persists at Ponnambalamēt is considered as the Moolasthanam of Lord Ayyappa of Śabarimala. The word Ponnambalamēt is derived from the union of three Malayalam words Pon(gold), ambalam (temple), and mēt (hill) and it means a place with a renowned temple on a hill.
Ponnambalamēt is a place southeast of Śabarimala, located at an altitude of 1,179 meters (3,869 feet) above mean sea level. It is on the side of a cliff, its Western side having a depth of about 500 meters, is an ecologically sensitive area and habitat for wild elephants, tigers, leopards, and wild cows. It is believed that at the deep side and beneath about 3m down the top of the cliff there is a gigantic cave (facing Sree Ayyappa temple, Śabarimala), always guarded
by a ferocious serpent, which has been used by Lord Ayyappa Himself between 1170 and 1174 A.D.
It is believed that Lord Rama with his consort Goddess Sita visited this golden temple of Lord Sāsta, which was later demolished by Udayanan, in the Treta-yuga on his way back from Lanka to Ayodhya and after meditation at the bank of the holy Pambasarass and performed pitru-tarpanam for his great father Dasharatha. There are two natural ponds at Ponnambalamēt namely Seeta-kulam and Rāman-kulam, which are associated with Goddess Sita and Lord Rama respectively. The yellow termitaries which grew over the Samādhis of great sages like Agastya Sāsta, who chose this place for their deep meditation and salvation over the centuries and the remnants of the old temple infested with wild animals are still seen in the Shola forest, located East of the Veti-plāv ( Kārani or Wild Durian).
Though there is no clear pathway, the prominent tree of Veti-plāv stands on the side of the cliff as identification, and on its southeast is a platform built in 1998 A.D. for lighting the Makara-jyōti. On the southeast side of the top platform and at a lower terrace one meter down, there is an inscription of Lakshmi-Nārāyana chakra of square shape (side=61 cm) of which Ōm is prominent. On Makara sankrama day, the devout priests perform Poojas on the Lakshmi Narayana chakra for Lord Sasta before lighting the Makara Jyothi. It is believed that until 1950 A.D the bright lunar star used to appear at the eastern horizon of Śabarimala on Makarasankrama-day i.e. the day of commencement of uttarāyanam, was considered sacred and known as Makara-jyōti. After the re-consecration of the present idol at Śabarimala in 1950 A.D, during the deeparadhana time at Sannidhanam, some nearby tribal devotees perform camphor aarti at Ponnambalamēt, on Makara-sankrama time for worshipping
Lord Ayyappa. Whatever it may be, every year on the day of Makara-sankrama, millions of devotees come to Śabarimala to see this man-made lamp as Makara Jyoti. The fulfillment of every devotee who climbs up the Pathinettampadi in a state of fasting with irumudikettu sees the Lord and the Makara Jyoti, and descends the mountain is indescribable. Every devotee wants to see that light that flashes, only as a vision of the Lord.
It is said that Devas performed abhishekam of Lord Sāsta of Ponnambalamēt with the sacred waters of Ganges and it vanished underground. It is believed that these waters flowed underground and reappeared with the name Kumbalam totu on the surface as a spring. The Kumbalam todu then falls at one or two places. The waterfall at Urakuzhi teertham is in the downward course of Kumbalam todu. It is located 300m north of Pantitavalam and about 1km from Sannidhanam. A dip in the pit like an ‘ural’(traditional stone grinder) of Urakuzhi teertham is considered sacred and equivalent to a dip in the holy Ganges. Ponnambalamēt is at an aerial distance of 4.740km and 21 degrees, 36 minutes and 17 seconds from the holy shrine of Lord Ayyappa at Sannidhanam. The path to Ponnambalamēt is via Angamoozhy- Pachakanam forest check-post on Gavi road, the distance being 60km. Permission of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests(wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden is mandatory to visit Ponnambalamēt.
In ancient India, the sages and yogis used to go to the most powerful places to attain salvation. The great saints of the southern part used to reach Manimandapam and Śabarimala. It is believed that according to the merits of Holiness of penance, sitting on a jewel throne at Ponnambalamēt, Lord Ayyappa showed his divine form to
the great monks, who took strict fasting by covering the whole body with ashes near Manimandapam. While some see the stars, others see the Krishna falcon whereas some see the Makara Jyothi itself.
It is believed that a devotee who visits all these Dharmasāsthā temples together can attain liberation from Ashtarāgās.
Since I do not have the knowledge or ability to record much about Śree Dharmasāsthā, just by describing this much, I would like to tell you about the construction of the Golden Flagpole at Śabarimala which was offered by the owners of the Phoenix Group from Andhra Pradesh.
I would like to share my knowledge about the Golden flagpole of the Śabarimala through this pamphlet. There is no need to write specifically about Śree Dharmaśāstā, the deity of the Śabarimala temple. The history of Manikanta Swāmi who merged with Śree Dharmaśāstā of the epic is memorable even to the child devotees.
No one can accurately describe the ancientness of the Śabarimala temple except by saying that it is centuries old. Neither we nor our ancestors were able to understand the exact chronology of not only the case of the Śabarimala temple but also the numerous ancient temples in Kerala and India.
It could be understood that the concentration of Hindu deities in India was focused on forests and mountains. Śabarimala, Palani mala, Vindhyāchal mountains, M ē ru mountains, Kailāsam, Gandhamādana mountains, and many more are some of the names that indicate our divine thoughts are associated with the forests.
If Śree Dharmaśāstā is Kānanavāsan (forest dweller), then Subrahmanya Swāmi is at Palani Mala. Our sages and ascetics were the ones, who attained wisdom and salvation through jungle abode. Not only Śree Rāma and
Lakshmana but also the Pancha Pāndavās had spent their lion’s share of their lives in the forest. The majority of the emperors and kings of India chose the forests for Vānaprastha. Vālmiki, who wrote Rāmāyana, Śakunthala, who lived in sage Kanva’s hermitage, Kalidāsa (The great poet), all were excellent people who lived in the jungle. The dense forests and mountains of the Indian subcontinent had given shade to the great ones who provided precious gems of knowledge and philosophies that had made a comprehensive contribution to the world.
Snake groves (Sarppakaav) are a small part of our culture that is associated with forests. Those who visit Śree Dharmaśāstā, the forest dweller, do not trek up the hill without paying obeisance to the Bhuta Ganas (demons), birds, and animals in the forest. Through this book, I intend to make the devotees understand the importance of the flagpole at Śabarimala Sannidhānam.
It seems to be in 1967 that a flagpole was erected on Śabarimala before the current new flagpole. It was the contribution of the Trāvancōre royal family. It is not clear whether there was a flagpole at Śabarimala before that. Probably like any temple, there could have been a possibility of having a temporary flagpole, during the festival season.
But here we examine the significance, concept, and history of the golden flagpoles from 1967 till the new golden flag pole. By understanding the vehicle-mounted on the apex of the flagpole, at first sight, itself, a devotee can recognize the deity in the shrine at any temple. Even by paying homage to the Vāhana on the flagpole, the devotee gets the blessings of the Lord.
The first sight of each devotee, before climbing up the eighteen holy steps after trekking the mountain, carrying the Irumudikettu on their head to attain liberation from birth sins, is the Golden flagpole of Lord Ayyappa, which bears the Vājivāhana stands high in the Sannidhānam. Before seeing the Lord, who reflects the meaning of Tatvamasi, the devotee can be reconciled by seeing the flagpole full heartedly, while keeping the Irumudikettu on his head. With the completion of Ayyappa darśan, his life (birth) becomes successful. That is why we should understand the history and significance of the golden flagpole of the Lord.
It is my humble attempt to remember the golden moments of being a prime participant in the construction of the golden flagpole dedicated by the Phoenix group from the beginning onwards with my father, Parumala Śri Ananthan Āchāri, the sculptor of the new flag pole, carved out of the best tall tree in front of the Lord Ayyappa. Along with this, I express my truly dedicated life for Lord Ayyappa which gave me a lot of opportunities to learn more about the Lord than I heard ever before from 2014 till the erection of the new golden flagpole on the 25th of June 2017. My humble salutation at the feet of the Lord, who gave me the luck for that. Even now I continue my spiritual journey and dedication.
Let me say, the truth about the unavailability of the exact chronology of Śabarimala and the sadness developed from that are also the reasons for writing this book. The reign of King Rājas ē khara Pāndya, who ruled Pandalam was recorded in the Indian Archives as A.D 1095. When we examine the stories of Śree Dharmaśāstā and Ayyappan related to the history of Rājas ē khara Pāndya, the period
of the incarnation of the Lord merged with Śāśta could be thought to be within this period.
At the time of demolition of the existing flagpole as part of the construction of the new golden flagpole, it was understood that there was no evidence of any construction of flagpole, erected only twenty or thirty years before we were born in this century. The thought about the absence of shreds of evidence and remnants related to the old flagpole such as who the sculptor was, measures of the flagpole, whether it was made out of wood or concrete, what were the materials used to complete the flagpole of Sannidhānam, when was it erected, etc inspired me to pen down the overall details of the new golden flagpole as a historical record for convincing the future generation as clear as the lines on the hand. That decision is now possible.
I’m not a person who wants to be limited only to the level of a sculptor. I love devotion, fear, logic, and thought. It has become a habit of mine to try to look at everything, be it man, God, creation, or creator, through the four mentioned earlier. Though that habit caused many problems for me in many places, some rational thoughts have also shown good things as well.
During the construction period of the Śabarimala flagpole, I was able to talk to thousands of people about Śabarimala. Among them are Ayyappa devotees and rationalists, also some people walk around talking irrational things about Ayyappa by living in a dream world. Some do not want any reward or fame, seeking only the meaning of the truth. There are also wise men.
Let me tell you the truth that some thoughts related to the history of Śabarimala Dharmaśāstā have formed in my
mind too from different conversations and meetings. It is not presented as an argument rather I request to see it only as the deeds of one who has come down to seek the truth. For those who are curious to hear that, I shall tell that story along with this here.
A long time ago, the Śabarimala was known as the Sahyādri Hills. The Sahyādri Hills may have been later known as Śabarimala because an austere woman named Śabari who lived in the Sahyādri Hills received salvation from Lord Rāma. Many people were living as hill dwellers in the freedom of the Sahyādri hills. It is said that there was one of the Dharmaśāstā temples dedicated by Paraśurāma
and the people of Malayaraya, Ullāda, and Ūrāli sects used to worship this Lord as a “forest dweller” with devotion. A few years later, Maravappada from Madurai, led by Udayanan, looted the temple and killed the priest. The priest had a son named Jayantha and he wandered to avenge those who killed his father. Meanwhile, King Rājasēkhara Pāndya, who had fled Madurai, formed a kingdom at Pandalam, on the banks of the Achankovil river with the help of the Trāvancōre royal family. King Rajasekhara and his wife, who were mourning for not having children, performed poojas and prayers at the Kaipuzha temple on the other side of the river for the sake of having a child. The king being a devotee of Lord Śiva used to offer prayers at the Śiva temple there and the queen who is the devotee of Lord Vishnu prayed at the Vishnu temple. At this time, robber Udayanan attacked the palace, kidnapped the king’s beautiful sister Mōhini and imprisoned her at Karimalakōtta.
Jayantha entered the fort as a cook and rescued Mōhini from Udayanan’s marriage proposal and harassment and took her to Māthangamuni’s ashram. Recognizing their Vaishnava-Śaiva spirit, the sage got them wedded and brought them to Ponnambalamēt for Grihastāshramam. Months later, a baby boy was born to them and named him Āryan Kēralan. Fearing the robber, they handed over the child to the sage and left the monastery. The child grew up there for several months. Since the child had a bell around his neck he was also known as Manikantan. The sage gave the child to the king of Pandalam, who was worried about not having children. In Pandalam, his name became Ārya Kērala Varma. Pandalam is a holy place with the footprints of Śree Manikandan. It is said that King Rajasekhara sent Manikantan to study at the gurukul of a great yogi on a hilltop on the banks of the Achankōvil river. Gurunathan Mukudi is a sacred and scenic hill by the grace of Śree
Ayyappa Guru and the footsteps of Śree Manikantan. It is surmised that Manikantan, who went to the gurukul to study, healed the deaf and dumb son of his Guru and made the Guru and his wife happy. Legend says that Āryan Kēralan acquired knowledge from Lord Śiva at Kailāsam. It is said that Ayyappa learned the skills to tame leopards and wild elephants from Pulipani Vaidyan. Shortly afterward, the king had a son with his wife, Kausalya. Meanwhile, before leaving Pandalam, Ārya Kērala Varma defeated Vāvar, a Muslim trader and a pirate, and established a lasting friendship with him after turning him into a devout follower.
Due to the constant attack of Udayanan, the Marava robber, and his gangsters, who committed dacoit and murder, people at Pandalam lived in perpetual fear of their attack. Udayanan plundered wealth from the travelers and villages nearby by staying in fortresses built on Talappāramala, Inchippāramala, and Karimala in the forests of Pandalam. Though Ārya Kērala Varma tried to kill the robber Udayanan who destroyed and ransacked Ponnambalamēt it failed the first time. Defeated in the first battle with Udayan, Manikandan marched from Kallada Kalari to Alangode Kalari to augment the army. During that journey, Kochuthoma realized the glory of Manikantan at Alappuzha and after realizing the purpose of Manikantan’s journey, he took Him to the Cheerappanchira Guru’s Kalari. During the conversation with the Guru, the Guru’s daughter Lalitha saw Manikantan, and realizing his divine spirit she prayed to Manikantan for blessings. For Lalitha who realized the truth of who Manikanta was, Ayyappa gifted her with his sword and blessed her that her name would be remembered as long as Ayyappa’s name existed on earth and then he departed from there. That sword is still kept there and worshiped. When he was determined to fight a second time with Udayana after augmenting the army, the minister conspired with the queen to stop the move to make Ārya Kērala Varma the young king, by pretending to be ill and creating a situation where she needed leopard’s milk. Manikantan was entrusted by the connivance of the palace-physician with the task of bringing puli-paal (milk of leopard). After a fierce fight at Karimala kotta between Kochukadutha (Ayyapa’s lieutenant) and Udayana, Manikantan beheaded Udayana. Then all the looted properties that Udayan stole, were sent to the palace in the hands of his soulmate Vavar and his helpers.
The legend says that Lord Ayyappa rested at KakkātKōikkal Ayyappa Temple, Perunāt for some time when he
went to fetch leopard’s milk for his stepmother. This KakkātKōikkal Ayyappa Temple at Perunāt is an important landmark in the procession of Tiruvābharanam of the Lord Ayyappa from Pandalam to Śabarimala and back. The returning procession of Tiruvābharanam, reaches Perunāt temple, after adorning the ornaments on the idol of Lord Ayyappa at Sabarimala on Makara-vilakku day. The idol of Lord Ayyappa here is adorned with Tiruvābharanam, for the darshan of devotees, particularly for women of childbearing age who are prohibited from entering Śabarimala as per rituals.
On his sojourn from Pandalam to dense forests to fetch Puli-paal, Ārya Kērala Varma killed Mahishi (sister of Mahishāsura), a demoness she-buffalo (Eruma in Malayalam) who was constantly causing harassments in the heavens and the earth. The place where Mahishi was killed by Lord Ayyappa is called Eruma-kolli, which was later called Erumēli. It is said that the local tribes also helped Lord Ayyappa to kill the buffalo which was causing a lot of havoc
to the people. After killing Mahishi, they danced in joy to celebrate their victory by applying colors all over their body, wearing green leaves and feathers on their body, and holding wooden bows and arrows. This celebration is known as Pētta-tullal. The place where the blood of the buffalo fell is also known as Rudhirakulam. Lord Ayyappa left behind his sword in a house of Vellālās called Puthiyaveedu at Erumēli after slaying Mahishi . There is a Masjid built at Erumēli by Pandalam Rāja as per Lord Ayyappa’s instructions, for commemorating Vāvar who was a devout companion of Lord Ayyappa. Thus, Erumēli is a place holding religious harmony.
It is said that Dēvēndra disguised as a male tiger and the Dēvasthreekal as tigresses in front of Ārya Kērala Varma who came to the Sahyādri hills alone to obtain the tiger milk. After fulfilling all missions of his incarnation, instead of bringing milk, he brought the entire herd of leopards for the treatment of a false disease of his stepmother, the Queen of Pandalam. Everyone was amazed to see the Ārya Kērala Varma, who arrived at the Pandalam Palace on top of a leopard. Some fell unconscious. The minister and the court physician confessed their mistake and apologized. Seeing this, the Mahārāja asked Ārya Kērala Varma to send the tigers back. Arriving there at this time, Māthangamuni informs the King of Pandala about the identity of Ārya Kērala Varma and the purpose of his incarnation.
After killing Udayana, Lord completed his birth mission by giving salvation to Mahishi. After convincing the Mahārāja of Pandalam, of all these matters, the Lord informed him about his decision to leave this material world and also told the king that there was a temple inhabited by his Dharmadēva, Śree Dharmaśāstā, who had been erected by Paraśurāma on the Sahyādri hill, as well as the existing Dharmaśāstā temple should be rebuilt and re-dedicated. He also said that he would indwell the place in the Sahyādri Hills, where his arrow would fall, and with the presence of the Goddess Ādhiparāsakthi, Śri Bhadrakāli, who is the Goddess of Nature. The Lord told the King that he could see the place through divine vision and a shrine should be built there above eighteen steps for Him along with the Goddess Mannady Bhagavathi (Madhurai Meenākshi Dèvi), the tutelary deity of the Pāndya dynasty, who was worshipped on the roof of the palace, should be consecrated in a motherly form on his left side. The place where the Lord Ayyappa resides at Śabarimala, which was chosen by the Lord Himself
as His abode is known as Manimandapam and the place where the Goddess resides is known as Mālikappuram.
It is believed that ascending the eighteen steps or Pathinettāmpadi by chanting Sarana Mantras helps them curb their emotions and thereby detach from worldly desires. These eighteen steps represent the eighteen hills surrounding Śabarimala. The first five steps symbolize the Panchēndriyās ( five senses) such as sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. The next eight steps represent Ashtarāgās or emotions such as krōdh (anger), kāma (love), lōbha (Avarice), mōha (lust), asooya (jealous), dhumb (boastfulness), madha (pride) and māltsarya (unhealthy competition). The next three steps stand for trigunās or three humane qualities i.e satva (purity), rajas (activity) and thamas (inactivity). The last two steps signify Vidya (knowledge) and Avidya (Ignorance).
After informing all these truths to the King of Pandalam at the age of 16, Lord Ayyappa went to Ponnambalamēt. The Lord then finally sat on an elevated tara or peetham, facing Ponnambalamēt later known as Śree Mani-Mandapam, and continued meditation in Yoga-Patta pose and merged with the Lord Śāsta of Ponnambalamēt leaving all his mortal remains. Thus Lord Ayyappa reigns in Śabarimala as a Naishtika Brahmachāri, an epitome of Dharma, truth, and righteousness.
I am sure that those who understand the spiritual secret of Śree Chakra Upāsana in today’s devout society will accept this. Almost everyone knows about Śabarimala where Dharmaśāstā resides and the specialties of Śabarimala in each period.
But Mani-mandapam, the most important place of Śabarimala, is known to everyone only as a place to sprinkle the ashes filled in the Irumudikettu (a two-compartment bag).
But many people do not know that the Mani-mandapam is the most sacred place where the Lord Ayyappa, a worshipper of Śree Vidya, resides. In the past, devotees used to come in groups to seek the Lord after 41 days of strict fasting by walking and suffering. Each group had its own Guruswāmi, who had rich experience and knowledge about Śabarimala. They had a clear idea of each of the rituals and deities of the Śabarimala where Śree Dharmaśāstā resided, so they would clearly explain everything to the fellow Ayyappans about the places including the Mani-mandapam. Today, those who do not have time to do the Śabarimala Darshan in its sanctity haughtily claim that these rituals are not needed to be known, due to which they suffer bad effects. In Manimandapam, a skewer that went unnoticed in front of anyone was not the one that existed years ago. This skewer, which was years later dedicated by one of the devotees of Śree Vidya’s worshipper Lord Ayyappa, is still present in the Mani-mandapam.
Whatever it is, the skewer is the weapon of Amma Mahāmāyaa. Anyhow, no one dared to move it from the Mani-mandapam or raise any arguments regarding it. From this, one can realize the presence of Lord Ayyappa’s worshipping Goddess and her power. Mani-mandapam is the reason why Śabarimala got the name Dakshina Kāsi. I believe that Brāhmin devotees from Tamil Nadu had been sitting around the Mani-mandapam for years chanting Lalitha Sahasranāmam, probably because of the Śree Chakra spirit at the place where Lord Ayyappa, the worshipper of Śree Vidya, resides.
In ancient times, the sages and yogis of India used to go in search of the most powerful places for salvation. While most of the people from the north chose Kailāsam,
Mānasarōvar, Badrinath, and Kāshi, the sages from the south came to Śabarimala and the Mani-mandapam. They all used to arrive many days before the Makara-Sankrānti festival. Ashes are applied all over the body and a strict fasting is observed by them near the Mani-mandapam. On the day of Makara-Sankrānti, they used to attain the PunyadarshanBrahmadarshan at Ponnambalamēt according to their merits of Holiness of penance. Some see the stars while others see the Krishna Falcon. Others see Makara Jyōti itself. Whatever it may be, all the Brahma darshans in the Mani-mandapam are sacred. Many of these ascetics had attained salvation by gaining samadhi here. Makaramāsa Festival, also known as Vānibha Festival (Trade festival), is an important festival that commences when the Makara Jyothi appears in the sky on the day of Makara-Sankrānti. The place is crowded with merchants.
Many traders came from Tamil Nadu and other states. The Makara-vilakku Mahōtsavam begins on the day of Makara-Sankrānti. On the first day of Makaram (Malayalam month), the Kunnaykāttu family representative will perform purifications in the Mani-mandapam and awaken the Lord about the festival by performing their secret traditional rites.
On the day of Makara-Sankrānti, Deepāradhana is performed at Sannidhānam with Lord Ayyappa adorning the Tiruvābharanam brought from Pandalam Palace in celebration. Tiruvābharanam are the golden ornaments of Lord Ayyappan, which were made as per the instructions of the Pandalam king, foster father of Lord Ayyappa to adorn his beloved son. It is kept at Srambickal Palace, inside the Pandalam palace premises which is on the north side of the Valiyakoikkal temple. Every year, on 28th Dhanu (12th January) Tiruvābharanam is taken to Sannidhanam in three
caskets from Pandalam Valiyakoikkal temple via Kaipuzha and Kulanada in a procession to adorn the Lord for the Makaravilakku. The Tiruvābharanam procession starts after Krishna Falcon surrounds the temple three times. A scion of the Pandalam royal family, who is chosen by Valiya Thamburātti, accompanies the procession in a Palanquin. The Tiruvābharanam includes the warrior’s face, Prabha, navaratna ring, mani-māla, sarapoli-māla, vilvadalamāla, erikkumpoo-māla, golden sword, golden dagger, an elephant without one horn, an elephant without one ear, a tiger, a horse, two Lakshmi figures, and a golden plate. Makara Jyōthi appears at Ponnambalamēt when the shrine is opened after the Tiruvābharanam is adorned on the Lord Ayyappa. The lamp in the Mani-mandapam is lit by pouring Deepam from the shrine. The first special ceremony is performed by placing the Dandu, Ayyappa’s weapon, on a peetham. Then starts the kalamezhuthu using the five color powders given by Valiya Thamburātti (elder female member) of Pandalam palace.
The kalamezhuthu will be completed before the Athāzhapooja (supper) at Sannidhānam. The concept is that, after the kalamezhuthu is finished, the Lord is awakened by freeing his eyes. After the Athāzhapooja (supper), the Lord is raised towards the Pathinettāmpati with teevetti (firetorches with 8 spokes), symbols of partial authority, and percussion. Before beginning the procession, the Thidambu to which the presence of Lord Ayyappa is invoked departs after paying obeisance to Mālikappurathamma. After the procession reaches the Pathinettāmpati, it stands in Nilapādu (a traditional ritual). After that, the family heirs of Punnamoottil stand facing south on Nilapādu Thara (a raised floor) and start reciting Nāyāttu-vili loudly.
The singing of Ayyappa’s history and other unknown stories in a particular way is called Nāyāttu-vili. The right to perform Nāyāttu-vili belongs to the Perinad Punnamoottil family. Through Nāyāttu-vili, declares that they are showing this Pallivētta (royal hunt) to Śabarimala Śree Dharmaśāstā, Pandalam Valiyakoikkal Śree Dharmaśāstā, Perinad Kakkāt Kōyikkal Śree Dharmasastha, and Poonkavil Śree Dharmaśāstā also to Nilakkal Thevar and Palliyarakavil Bhagavati. From these Nāyāttu-vili lyrics, it is revealed that the name of the Lord was Āryan Kēralan.
The following are the few lyrics of the Nāyāttu-vili that begin with the Ganapati hymn. Azhakinnoru Ganapathium Vānimarum thunachenikku, parichode nilavayyante kathakalil kure cholvan. chollinān ayyanōdum mellave bhoopanōdum nalloru divyasthalam Śabarivasichidam kalyānaprabham nallorālayam panitheerthu thathrayēvannirutheedanam yadhōchitam nithyapoojānivēdyādikalum māsādyathēy Makaramāsamādi thottanganjunaal mahōtsavam vēnamennathine neeyum bhakthiyāyi vanneedanam avaneepathiyāyi vazhkayennāsthayulla vākyam palavuru kēttaśēsham parichanupāndyan tān bheethiyum theerthu pinne Kēralam Pāndinādu parichanurekshacheyyuvān Śabarimala mukalil Ayyan Kēralan kudikondennum thaimāsamādiyāyi palapala niyamamōdum lōkarum vannukoodi. pērattin porimanalinmēlvellāna kazhuthinmēl vellippāvādayum virichu vellikarangalum veeshi-irunnarulum Āryamahāśāstāvinu impamāna pāttambalathil pattumittu panineer thalichunērchayil pothichakiri kayarum pāki kettum thookum vidyārambhavum ittukondu ayyante, nalloru kalavum kurichuvēnam.
Such Nāyāttu-vili (hunting calls) songs are oral evidence about Śabarimala and Śree Dharmaśāstā. The procession at Pathinettāmpati after Nāyāttu-vili circumambulates the Śabarimala along with the percussive ensemble, and while returning to Mani-mandapam, the Mēlsānthi (priest) of Mālikappuram returns after performing Deepāradhana and offering Nivēdyam. Then the kalam (pictorial representation of the deity drawn on the floor using colored powders) is erased by singing Kēshadipadam. Like this, the festival lasts for five consecutive days.
The ezhunellatt (procession) on the fifth day is special because the procession goes to Saramkuttiyāl (a place where the Kanni Ayyappans or new devotees place arrows or śaram), indicating that with this the Lord’s festival reaches the end.
Let us now examine the five aspects of God that will be drawn in the kalam, inside the Mani-mandapam. On the first day, the form is of a Bālakan (a small boy-brahmachāri).
On the second day, another appearance and form of the Lord is drawn in the Mani-mandapam. Here, Lord is a cheerful handsome hunter with bows and arrows.
On this day there will be Seevēli ezhunellatt of the Ambalapuzha group at 5 pm and that of the Alangād group at 6 pm. The Lord is processioned along with the Thidambu, flags, and symbols of inheritance which are brought in the Tiruvābharana Petti is accompanied by karpoora thalam and is led from Mani-mandapam up to Pathinettāmpati after performing karpoora aarti on the Pathinettāmpati, and then the procession goes around the Sannidhānam and returns to the Mani-mandapam.
Similar to the first day, after the Athāzhapooja, the Lord is raised towards the Pathinettāmpati with teevetti, symbols of inheritance, and percussive ensemble. Before beginning the procession, the invoked thidambu having Godly presence pays obeisance to Mālikappurathamma and departs. After the procession reaches the Pathinettāmpati, it stands in Nilapādu. After that, the family heirs of Punnamoottil stand facing south on Nilapādu Thara and start Nāyāttuvili. The procession at Pathinettāmpati after Nāyāttu-vili
circumambulates the Śabarimala along with the percussive ensemble, and while returning to Mani-mandapam, the Mēlsānthi (priest) of Mālikappuram returns after performing Deepāradhana and offering Nivēdyam. Then the kalam is erased by singing Kēshadipadam.
On the third day, the form is of a prince. This day is very special since the royal representatives of Pandalam are also present.
The royal representative who accompanied the Tiruvābharanam procession would stay in Pampa for two days. He stays there so that the devotees of the Lord do not face any hindrance with His coming and to know the welfare of the devotees. Then on the third day at noon, the Pandalam royal envoy and his companions come up the hill. The royal representative who arrives in front of the Lord at Sannidhānam will be given a golden sword from the Tiruvābharana-petti by the Dēvaswom authorities, and the Mēlsānthi will wash his feet on the Pathinettāmpati and receive him appositely.
The royal representative will light up the lamp in the conceptually constructed residential palace near Manimandapam, and observe the things in Mani-mandapam, Mālikappuram, and Sannidhānam. The royal representative will be present for the full day on the fifth day which marks the end of the festival and on the sixth day of Guruthi, accompanied by Pallikurup and his companions. Today being the third day of the kalamezhuthu, Karmi draws a surprising colorful kalam, representing the Prince form of the Lord. Inside the Mani-mandapam, the Pandalam royal representative, his companions, and devotees remain watching their beloved prince made by the Kunnaykāttu family with the colored powders given by Amma Mahārani. Then, as usual, Nāyāttu-vili, procession and erasing of the kalam. What is special is that the royal representative is present throughout the day.
On the fourth day, an unforgettable form of the Lord, the Pulivāhanan, spreads on the kalam for the Pandalam royal family and the devotees.
Pulivāhana is the form of the Ayyappan, who returns to Pandalam palace on a wild leopard wearing all weapons, arrows, and bows after collecting the leopard milk as medicine for his mother from the forest. On the fifth day, in the Mani-mandapam, the Lord adorned with all ornaments, divinely shines brightly in a believable way that there has the spirit of Śree Chakra.
Another peculiarity of this day’s procession is that it is towards Śaramkuthi. In addition, on this day the Lord is anointed with the Kalabham, which was carefully prepared and brought inside the Swarna Kumbham kept in the Tiruvābharana-Petti (Sacred jewelry box)from the Pandalam Palace. On this day, a rich feast is prepared with the things brought by the heirs from the Pandalam Palace for those who come to the festival. This feast is known as Kalabhasadyā.
It has already been said that this day’s procession is towards Śaramkuthi. This is the ceremony in which the Lord bids farewell to His beloved devotees who had come to participate in the festival, by accompanying them to the border town of Śaramkuthi along with the procession in the sense that the festival was over. The ezhunellatt of Lord is accompanied by songs, lanterns, percussive ensemble, thidambu inscribed with a warrior’s face having a horny mustache, the symbols of authority which are the flags of Thalappāra māla and Udumbāra māla. This day, the Nāyāttuvili is at Śaramkuthi.
After the Nāyāttu-vili, the Lord sends off his devotees. Imagining that the festival is over and avoiding the teevetti and percussions, the Lord and His men return to the Manimandapam. The Bhoothganās, who vanished into the forest leaving the presence of the Lord during the time of the festival, later joined with the Lord. Guruthi is held on the 6th of Makara month and only on this day, Neyyabhishēkam is not done at Śabarimala because there is more than enough coolness on the Ayyappa’s Poomēni (the body which is soft as a flower), due to the previous day’s kalabhābhishēkam. The kalabham in the gold amulet having the navaratna ring
in the Tiruvābharana-petti is used for anointing on this day. Whether it is our idols or their anointing, we can see a scientific aspect in it.
The idols in the temples must have been made of precious elements such as Navapāshanm (a substance with nine poisonous elements that act as a panacea for all diseases) and Pathālakkallu (underground stones). Therefore it has its distinctive features. We can cite many examples where the ghee anointed on the idol of Śabarimala has been effective for stomach ailments, incurable ailments, and for having children. That is why Neyyabhishēkam has become the most important offering at Śabarimala.
After the Athāzhapooja and closing of the shrine on the sixth day of Makaram month, the Guruthi ceremony will be held in the presence of the Pandalam royal representative. Karmi wears silk, agrees to enslave before Bhagavathi, ties silk on his head, and draws Kari(kajal) in his eyes in such a way that he can see the invisible sights, performs Guruthi. Guruthi refers to the pooja of Lord Bhadrakāli, the Mother of the Universe. Śree Bhadrakāli is offered Guruthi at Sabarimala, where she is present, as a remedy to ward off any impurities that were caused due to the human presence, poojas, nivedya objects, or anything else. Many people came from all over the country as it is a trade festival.
Guruthi is done to ask for forgiveness if there have occurred any deficiencies in the rituals, which might have otherwise adversely affected the power of the deity.
It is compelled to perform Guruthi for Śree Bhadrakāli due to the presence of the Śree Chakra’s spirit in the divine land of Śree Vidya’s worshipper, Lord Ayyappa. In addition to this Guruti in front of the Mani-mandapam, another Guruti takes place at Pampa, when the shrine closes after Vishu. This Guruthi which is also in the form of Kavala Mārgam is also done by the Kunnaykāttu family.
On the sixth day of Makaram month, the Nada (shrine) is closed after all the poojas except Neyyabhishēkam are done. The next day, on the seventh of Makaram month, only the King and his entourage are allowed for Darshan. After the darshan of the entourage, in the presence of the royal representative alone, the Mēlsānthi covers the idol in ashes, adorns a turban, rudrāksha garland, and yoga stick, closes the shrine and handover the key to the royal representative and stepping down the Pathinettāmpati, followed by the Royal representative. Dēvaswom authorities offer a bag filled with money (panakizhi) to the royal representative, assuming it as a surplus of this year’s expenditure. For next year’s poojas, the royal representative hands over the money and the keys to Mēlsānthi, and with the descent of the royal representative from the Śabarimala, the Makara-vilakku Utsavam of that year comes to an end.
“Thatātaka’’ the goddess Madurai Meenākshi, born from Putrakāmēshti Yajna as the daughter of the Pāndya king, Malayadwaja, and his wife Kānchanamāla, indwells in Śree Hālāsyam (Madurai) as the Paradēvatha (household deity) of the Pāndya dynasty. The migrated Pāndya dynasty settled at Mannadi, a village in Adoor Tāluk (Pathanamthitta district) with the help of the Trāvancōre dynasty. Later when they shifted their capital to Pandalam, they worshipped the Goddess Mannadi, as Paradēvatha, on the top of the roof of the Pandalam Palace. As instructed by the Lord Śree Manikanta, this Paradēvatha, Mālikappurathamma, was erected in motherly form next to Him and there she resides as the Universal mother to the devotees who come to see her.
There have been some tendencies over the years to misinterpret the truthful rituals of Śabarimala. The main one among these is the story of Mālikappurathamma. Some say that Mālikappurathamma is waiting to marry Lord Ayyappa. The reason they say is that Ayyappan had promised Mālikappurathamma that he would marry her when KanniAyyappans never reached Śabarimala. The procession of Lord Ayyappa from Mani-mandapam and Mālikappuram complex misinterprets them as the procession of Mālikappurathamma. The purpose of Mālikappurathamma’s visit is to know the presence of Kanni-Ayyappans at Śaramkuthi. Their story is that Mālikappurathamma avoids all musical accompaniments and returns disheartened by knowing the presence of Kanni-Ayyappans.
This is an absolute misunderstanding. The uprising from Mālikappuram has taken place from time to time has been interpreted as Mālikappurathamma’s uprising. It had been made clear in previous chapters that it is the Lord Ayyappa who himself arises from Mālikappuram.
They never forgot to even comment on the Kalabha sadhya (Kalabha feast) provided by the Pandalam palace for the devotees on that day as a missed wedding feast. The Paradēvatha (Mannadi Devi), who was worshipped at the top of the roof of the Mālika near Pandalam palace, is dedicated beside Lord Ayyappa on his left side in motherly form.
Kottārathil Śankunni had mentioned this in his famous book “Aithihyamāla” only after witnessing it in person. The Pandalam kings first came to Mannadi and worshipped the goddess Madhuri Meenākshi as Paradēvatha at Mannadi, who later became the Mannadi Bhagavathi. When the Pāndya kings shifted their capital to Pandalam, there Mannadi Bhagavathi was worshipped as Paradēvatha on the top of the roof of the Mālika near Pandalam palace. The Goddess worshipped on the top of the roof of Mālika was
called Mālikappurathamma, the goddess who sits on the left side of Mani-mandapam where Lord Ayyappa resides in Śabarimala. It can be understood from the worship practices of Tamil devotees. They praise Mālikappurathamma as Manjal mātha and Manchamātha. Other stories are irrelevant when Malayalee devotees call Mālikappurathamma, Tamil devotees call Manchamātha, both trust in their mother.
The main offerings of Tamil devotees are rolling coconuts and sprinkling turmeric powder in front of Mālikappurathamma. Rolling coconuts in front of Mālikappurathamma is a symbolic representation of the ritual Śayanpradakshina as if everything is dedicated to the mother.
There have been many attempts to misinterpret the rituals of Śabarimala, where the Universal truth, Naishtikbrahmachāri resides. The latest example of this is the women’s entry controversy. I can’t refrain from saying a few things that I know about it.
The Lord, the Eternal Celibate, said that the elder member of the Pandalam royal family adorning the Lord’s patriarchal position, women belonging to his mother’s family, and young women at the age of 10 to 50 are not needed to come to visit him at Śabarimala. To understand why God says so, we need to know these things as well.
When one knows, who the Naishtikbrahmachāri is then he could understand the meaning of what the Lord said about the entry of young women. Let us think about brahmacharya at this point.
Brahmachāri means the one who made a habit to follow the Vēdas.
Brahmacharya means, “conduct consistent with Brahma the spiritual path”.
‘Brahmam’ means Vēda- Penance or ultimate Knowledge.
Manusmrithi says that brahmacharya exists in two ways. Even though the rules and customs of the two celibacy are the same there is an important difference.
“Upanayana’’ is one of the traditional rites of passage also known as the “sacred thread wearing“ ceremony. Upanayana, which means taking the child close to god in human form. ‘Upa’ means ‘near to god’ and ‘Nayana’ means ‘leading the child’. After Upanayanam, to become a perfect Trivēdi the student should stay in the gurukul and study the Vēdic triads (Rig-Yajur-Sama) for 36 years i.e 12 years for each Vēda. Or six years each for a total of 18 years, otherwise three years each for a total of nine years if that is also not possible, one should study the Vēdas for as long as possible. Then, with the permission of the Guru, he should marry a good-natured virgin of a similar caste (varna) to lead the grihastha-āsrama after performing Samāvartana and Snāna. Upakurvāna practices celibacy only till his studies are over.
After Upanayana, one stays in the gurukul, practices celibacy, studies the scriptures, serves the guru, stays in the gurukul till the end of one’s life, and qualifies one’s life for spiritual attainment. After the demise of the guru, the student should remain in the gurukul and serve the knowledgeable son of the guru, or guru’s wife, or any paternal precursors as the guru. In the absence of the three mentioned above after the death of the guru, the superstitious celibate should sit near the guru’s fire and perform Samith-dānam( a purification process) at dawn and dusk for the attainment of Brahma.
Naishtikbrahmachāri never conducts a grihasthaāsrama life. That means a Naishtikbrahmachāri remains a celibate till his death.
Śabarimala Aazhi (huge pile of fire) is the guru’s fire mentioned above. Ayyappan safeguards this fire. The coconut devoid of ghee is thrown into this Aazhi. The belief is that the ghee-filled coconut brought in the Irumudikettu is the Jeevātma. When the ghee is offered at the shrine, Jeevātma merges with Ayyappa. The coconut devoid of ghee is burned in the aazhi, considering it a corpse (Jadam). This is a custom that is not found in any other temple.
A brahmachāri who stays in the gurukul and subdues the sense should perform the following rules for the ascetic life. Do not consume alcohol and meat. Do not wear perfumes or ornaments. Don’t eat sweets. Do not get women. Do not use sour substances. Do not torture insects.
Gambling, vain arguments with the people, profane talk, false speech, affectionate looks at women, and betrayal should be avoided. If a subject is mentioned more than once in a paragraph, it should be assumed to be very important. This is a law of science.
The guru’s wife should be respected as much as the guru. The commands of the guru’s wife should be obeyed as commands of the guru.
A twenty-year-old intelligent disciple should not greet the young wife of the guru, by touching her feet because a twenty-year-old student is an adult man.
Enjoying with women, narrating their qualities, chatting with them, staring at them, talking secretly, imagining getting them, trying to get them, getting in touch with them, are the eight sexual practices said by learned people. Complete celibacy is possible only when these are fully eliminated. I like to mention here a special thing that women are not denied in the Śabarimala temple. Control is imposed only during one of the most important periods of their life.
According to the Indian concept, grihastha-āsrama has more greatness and sanctity. Motherhood is the most important stage in the sacred grihastha-āsrama. That period is from the age of ten to fifty and these days are very special for women who give birth and raise children. Through the stories of Kunti and Gāndhari, Vēda Vyāsa teaches us that if the mother doesn’t pay any attention to the children, then they will go astray. Ayyappa’s only suggestion is not to try to come and see him by walking up the hills and mountains during this most important period.
Therefore, realizing the importance of motherhood, women should not go up the hill with difficulty. It’s very clear from the Nayāttu-vili that takes place at the shrine on the occasion of the Makara-Sankrānti festival that there are some special rules that everyone must abide by. That law should be regarding the entry of women. It is those who break the law that will have to suffer its consequences and not God. Devotees of God all over the world, men and women alike, have obeyed that law as their souls to the
fullest for all these years. There is only one appeal to those who deliberately break the habit that has been followed by billions for centuries. What do you gain by hurting the minds of all these devotees? Isn’t it proof of how much God respects femininity that He said that His Paradēvatha should indwell beside Him in the form of a mother? There is no delay in ignoring those who mislead even that Mālikappurathamma. Let us understand the fame and significance of Śabarimala where Lord Ayyappa, the worshipper of Śree Vidya, resides along with Śree Chakra in the Mani-mandapam.
Let us look into the golden flagpole that stands high in the shrine of Bhagavan and its construction periods. Let us closely understand Dhwaja, its measurements, things, and rare experiences, up to its dedication.
In this chapter, I primarily intend to elucidate the specialty of the New golden flagpole erected at Śabarimala. My inspiration to write this book has already been mentioned in the previous chapter. What is Dhwaja? Let’s first think about the significance of a flagpole in a temple.
In a word, Dhwaja means flag. A flag is a symbol that helps us to distinguish something noteworthy. It is used as a symbol to demarcate borders, as a signal near the construction sites of the road, as a reminder in dangerous places, as a symbol of Political parties, etc. Each country has a flag with colors and signs that marks its identity. Even the chariot of Lord Krishna had a flag on it at the Kurukshētra battlefield.
From this, it’s clear that the flag is an emblem having unique importance.
A Dhwaja is placed upright in front of the Garbhagriha (Sanctum sanctorum) at most of the Hindu temples. The Vāhana on the apex of the flagpole at the temple gives an idea about the idol in the shrine, to a devotee at a long distance. From a religious aspect, anything that raises a person’s thoughts and karma by alleviating his ignorance is said to be a Dhwaja. The Dhwaja is believed to serve as a medium for receiving cosmic energy and conveying the prayers of the devotees to the Almighty God. It also acts as a spiritual connector between heaven and earth.
A devotee who prostrates in front of the Dhwaja indicates that he surrenders his complete ego in front of the Almighty. People follow these rites of passage for offering their respect to God. The major Utsav (festival) at the temple commences with the ceremony of hoisting the flag on Dwajasthambam. Due to the profound importance of the Dhwaja, there arises a question regarding the construction of this metal pillar in the precincts of the temple. The scientific purpose of placing the flagpole as the highest point near the temple as a lightning conductor is to protect the temple and its surrounding from lightning. There is no doubt in saying that the Indian Temple architecture melds science and spirituality.
In today’s context, the flagpole of a temple gives an idea about the prosperity of the temple, the wealth of the people, and also how much the people worship the idol at their temple. Usually, Dhwaja is made up of wood or concrete, which is cladded with brass or copper or with or without gold plating; this is done according to the financial status of each temple. Just because a flagpole is gold-plated does not
mean that it is particularly pleasing to God. It is not known whether it was due to the desire for the exposition of wealth or devotion, but the acceptance of the golden flagpole in temples is increasing. The concept of a flagpole, which was found only in Hindu temples, has now spread to other religions.
Flagpole means Lingam or sign. The word temple signifies body. The position of the flagpole can be said to be in the position of the Linga (penis) when a temple is considered to be a human body with all its organs. When a temple is built according to the rules of architecture, the Uthara Vyāsam (north diameter) is calculated first. From it the measure of the Garbhagriha (Sanctum sanctorum) is determined. From it the length of Garbhadwāra, and from this length, the length of the Bimba (Bimbadeerkha) is calculated. The Peetam is also made in the same length as the Bimba (idol). The length of the Dhwaja is made by the length of the Garbhadwāra, which is used to calculate the length of the Bimba (idol). The flagpole should be made of either stone or wood.
Dhwaja made of stone is not practical in Kerala, so the method of making Dhwaja with wood is being adopted in our place. Sandalwood, Chembakam, Koovalam, Maruthu, Teak, Karingāli, Mandāram, Arecanut tree, Coconut, and Bamboo are the trees used for making the flagpole. However, in our country teak trees full of the core are used for making permanent Dhwajas. Generally, the Arecanut tree or coconut tree, having external cores are also used for making temporary Dhwajas. The Shilpa sāstra says that a Dhwaja has three shapes. The bottom is square-shaped with an ashtāgram (octagon) on top of it and a circle above it. The square part signifies Brahma, ashtāgra signifies Vishnu and
the circle signifies Mahādēva which means that the Dhwaja is the union of the Trimurthis.
If 7,9,10,12,15,17,21,27 are the measures of Dwāradeerkham then its double can be used as Dhwaja Deerkham. Apart from this, there are other rules for determining the measure of Dwāradeerkham. When the Dhwaja deerkham is determined from the Dwāradeerkham, the lowest part is the Nalam, i.e. the square part and is not included in the Dhwaja deerkham because it comes under the earth. The measure of Nalam can be one or one and half the measure of the Dwāradeerkham. The height of Dhwaja is determined from the cheruppu nirappu (shoe level) of the shrine. Kadavannam is a part of Dwāradeerkham obtained after dividing it by any one of the numbers 4,5 or 6 and Thalavannam is obtained after deducting 1/8 or 1/16 parts of Kadavannam from Kadavannam. This Thalavannam is called Agradandu and is used for making the measures of organs of Dhwaja. Dhwaja stands on a square-shaped Ādhāraśilā. The Ādhāraśilā should be a perfect square and it should be made up of three or two and a half the measure of Agradandu as a square and have half the thickness of it. The Nalam to the top ends at the cheruppu nirappu (shoe level) of the shrine. It is called Padma Paaduka. All the ancillary floors used for the shrine can also be used as the floor for dhwaja.
Ettupattam is a part that comes inside the floor. The measure of the height of the floor is usually one Kol (1 kol= 72cm). It may be in Amsha measurements. Indra and Dikpālakās, are erected above the Padma which is one dand height above the Vēdika and the Vēdika is half an agradand high above the floor. Paras with Vendayam, the ornaments of Dhwaja are placed above the Padma. The length of para
along with vendayam should be two Agradandu or one and a half Agradandu. The number of paras and vendayam should be an even number. The measure of the thickness of vendayam is one-fourth of the agradand. The measure of decorative para or mālasthānam is of two agradand, which is placed after para and following it Lashunam, Ghatam, Pathmam, Mandipalaka, and Veerakāndam are placed. The Vahana (vehicle) of the deity should be placed above Veerakāndam. The length of Dhwajadandu is one dwāradeerkham. A hole was made on the copper Malasthanam, one Dwaradand below, from the tip of the dhwaja timber, in a 45 degree tilted angle for lowering the dhwaja dand (kodikkai) as the hypotenuse, in which the flag is hoisting.
The Dhwaja deerkha of Śabarimala golden flagpole is estimated to be 7 times the measure of Garbha Griha Dwārdeerkham. The length of the new golden flagpole is the same as the old one. It is understood that the measure of the flagpole was adopted as seven by our forefathers to indicate the seven territories ruled by Lord Ayyappa which are Vēnadu, Cheethanaadu, Karkknadu, Poozhinadu, Kuttanad, Kadnadu, and Malayamanadu. Moordhaa Garbhagriha Vakthram anthaharushu mandapam. Galahastham chathuhśaala balipeetam thadhōbharam. dhwajam lingam śrōni behirhāra pādōsya koormakam. Prākāram gopuram pādam Kshōtrām ngaatheethi sushruma.
This verse, which is a tantric abbreviation of Dhwaja is elaborated a little. I hope that the general technical knowledge of the Dhwaja will be understood by all. There are many books available that will benefit those who want to learn more about this.
It was when Brahmasree Kandararu Maheswararu was the Tantri that he noticed some of the flaws in the existing flagpole. These flaws are natural wear and tear as millions of devotees constantly touch the flagpole. It was in this period that the Panchavargathara (five-tiered floor) of the flagpole was painted gold as per the instructions of the then Administrative Officer, Shri Rajan Sir, who was saddened by the condition of the flagpole. This later became controversial which paved the way for taking action against him.
After hearing about this from the Tantri, a prominent cloth merchant (Kumaran Silks) in Chennai being a true devotee of Ayyappa, volunteered himself to take up the financial task of repairing the defects on the flagpole. Following that, the Tantri Maheshwararu called my father (Parumala Sri Ananthan Āchāri) and assigned him to inspect the damage. According to God’s will, before the flagpole, the temple needed urgent restoration work and Kumaran Silks volunteered to do the work as an offering and the Tantri entrusted the task of those works to my father. Today it seems that it was also God’s decision.
Works of plating copper and gold over the roofs of Ganapati shrine and Naga Temple followed by the repair of gold plating and cleaning of the dome of Lord Ayyappa’s shrine, and copper laying works of Mālikappuram Temple were completed. Then things started moving towards Ashtamangala Deva Prasna. It took place on Friday, 18 June 2014 at 11 Nāzhika (1 Nāzhika=24minutes), 52 Vināzhika (1 Vināzhika = 24 seconds) 10 hours 51 minutes on Uthram Nakshatra Day at Śabarimala.
Astrologers
Udayakumar. In the Deva Prasna, it was found that the flagpole was worn out and the Ashtadikpālakās were maimed. In the Deva Prasna, it was proved that the improper coating caused damage and that the new flagpole should be erected on perfectly fine wood as the existing flagpole had signs of decay. In this situation, the idea of a new flagpole became ingrained in Tantri and others. The next step is to find the best tree for the flagpole.
In 2015, Brahmashree Rajeevararu was appointed as the Tantri. Meanwhile, the news of the coming new flagpole at Śabarimala spread through the press media. Knowing this, many people came forward volunteering to do this. But we do not know whom God chooses for that.
Hari Chettan, the then Vice President of the All India Ayyappa Sēva Sangham, could recollect every moment that led to the discovery of the best tree. While describing the discovery of the best tree, he is filled with unwavering devotion to the Lord. So let us hear it through his words rather than mine.
The then Ayyappa Sēva Sangham General Secretary Sri Vijayakumar arrived at Sannidhanam for the Makaravilakku festival. In a meeting with Tantri Brahmasree Kandararu Rajeevararu, says that the Ayyappa Sēva Sangham should find the best tree for the flagpole. It made us all very happy that Kandararu entrusted the Ayyappa Seva Sangham with the main task of that sacred historic mission. Without thinking back or forth, we set out unitedly for this mission. At this point, there arose a question of the existing flagpole whether it is an ideal tree or concrete?
Everyone started discussions. The first question was whether anyone knew about any logging that happened during the period of the old flagpole. But nothing could be known about it. Moreover, it was concluded that during the construction of the old flagpole with limited facilities in those days, it was less likely that a large single log would be cut down and brought to Sannidhānam. In any case, an investigation was carried out in Nilambur, which is known for teak trees. Sri Rajiv Konni, one of the five secretaries of the Sēva Sangham at that time, suggested a teak tree in Aruvappulam that he felt was worthy and instructed me to go and see it. But for some reason, I could not go.
Later the investigation was expedited as Mathrubhumi’s Konni correspondent was asked about a suitable tree for the flagpole to Śabarimala. When he inquired with a forest
official who was acquainted with these districts at the time, he said that some teak tree from 1953 was being cut down in Vayakkara and would be found when he arrived.
The then Dēvaswom President Advocate Govindan Nair in consultation with the members Sri Subhash Vasu and Sri P.K Kumaran decided to go on the most convenient day and reached the place along with the elder carpenter, Sri M.K Raju. We had a Forest Watcher assigned by the above-mentioned senior officer to provide us with all facilities. So they went to the place and saw the teak tree. As per the instructions from the elder carpenter, a person of that place was paid a Dakshina and asked to climb up the tree to determine its compactness from the top using a thread.
It was a bit adventurous since the tree had good lubrication. The relief was the belief that there would be no danger with the blessings of Ayyappa. The yarn was put in and found to be unsuitable. By then, the number of local natives had also increased. Then one of the local natives suggested a teak tree which seemed good at a glance. Again that man was asked to climb the tree, to measure it using the thread. Moothaashari (elder carpenter) was satisfied with it. But the part above 4
feet of the tree seems to have been damaged by what appears to be caused by an elephant or some other animal. The elder carpenter himself saw the remedy. Even if we give up 4 feet, we will get 14 meters in length. Hari Chettan enthusiastically finished telling the story of finding a suitable tree.
The review meeting was held the next day. There was a suggestion from the Ayyappa Sēva Sangham to ask the then Chief Minister that the tree should be donated by the government. That night the Dēvaswom President requested the Chief Minister, Mr. Oommen Chandy, and he gladly granted it as a free offering to the Lord.
With the discovery of the best tree, the construction of the flagpole accelerated. The golden flagpole is the most important element of the globally known Śabarimala, because of which it should be deprived of any defects. The Dēvaswom Board President convened a review meeting at the Trāvancōre Dēvaswom Board headquarters in Nanthancode, Thiruvananthapuram to confirm the decision in that regard, and various issues related to the flagpole were raised and discussed there. All organs, including the Panchavargathara (pentagonal floor), needed to be rebuilt. No one had any doubt that the work of making the flagpole should be done by skilled craftsmen as new ones are required. But when the meeting reached a point where Tantri Kandararu Rajeevararu was in consultation as to who should be the sculptors of the flagpole, he suggested Parumala Sri Ananthan Āchāri and Trippalloor Sri Sadasivan Āchāri as he felt trusted and responsible. The reason he suggested them was that he had the chance to know and witness more than 50 flagpoles made by them across India and perform its consecration ceremony. Dēvaswom’s office-bearers held consultations with the Moothaashari (Elder woodworker) Sri Raju sir and he was very pleased with the suggestion of the Tantri.
Things then moved on to the final inspection of the found tree. The 3046th number teak tree in Vayakkara of the Kallēli range in the Kōnni division is aged around 51 years having 13.5 meters in height and a 175-centimeter circumference. It was found, re-examined, and confirmed as the ideal tree, by sculptors Sri Ananthan Āchāri, Trippalloor Sri Sadasivan Āchāri, Moothaashari Sri Raju Sir, Ayyappa Seva Sangham officials Velayudhettan, Harichettan, Sri Thennala Balakrishna Pillai, Dēvaswom Executive Engineer Sri Vinayan Sir, and Sri Unnikrishnan Sir. It has been decided to perform Vriksha Pooja on 26th August 2015 and to cut down the tree on 16th September 2015 at 7:30 am.
Dāruparigraham means logging. Most people think that cutting down a tree for a flagpole is a simple task. But dāruparigraham is a very complex and delicate process. It has certain karmas prescribed to be performed without making even the slightest mistakes. The ancestors had kept it recorded accurately. Scholars believe that if it is violated, the consecrated flagpole will lose its prosperity and durability. For general knowledge, the procedures of wood extraction can be described here.
If the owner decides to make a flagpole and make a dedication in any temple, the first step is to consult with the Āchārya of the respective temple and find a sculptor who is more capable and godly blessed as per the Āchārya’s instructions. Āchārya, the sculptor, and the owner must enter the forest on the best day after looking for the best omen, with the lamp and percussion, for finding the best tree. The owner of the tree to which the sculptor points out
and is chosen to be suitable should be given a new dress, the price he asks, and more than that, and then the tree should be taken over as the possession of the master and the idol of the temple.
There are also some rituals for logging a fixed tree. The night before the day chosen to cut down the tree, the Āchārya should take bath, do the Sandhya Vandanam, wear a new dress, and enter the forest in the light of the lamp along with the percussion. Circumambulating the forest, reach the base of the accepted tree and offer sacrifices to the Gods and Bhuta Ganas in eight directions. There are numerous reasons why these should be done at night itself. Visible and non-visible insects that depend on this tree will arrive at night which is a reason why these rituals are to be done at night itself. Then the Āchārya should convince the creatures, Bhuta Ganas, and the fraternal trees near the Parigraha tree and prostrate three times for the permission of the acceptable tree as well.
After the Tantric rituals, the Āchārya and his companions should sleep under the ideal tree chosen for the new flagpole praying that they will have good dreams and after waking up in the morning each of them has to reveal their dreams and find a solution for any if needed. Then Āchārya along with the owners and the related people performs Astra Pooja etc. and in the auspicious time, the chosen sculptor should bathe and purify himself and performs the traditional Kriyāpooja by wearing Thattu (a double cloth worn in a particular way) and Uthareeyam (shawl). After looking for the Rashi (zodiac sign) by breaking the coconut, a solution should be found if required, and after understanding the auspicious and inauspicious, then procure the worshipped weapon from the Āchārya and cut the marked eastern part of the tree using that weapon. Do solutions by understanding the omen, by
looking at the direction in which the scattered piece of wood falls and whether it is turned up or down. When the rituals are over, firstly the branches can be cut off, and then the tree can be cut down. Some people argue that the tree should not touch the ground once it is cut and that there is nothing wrong even if it touches. The majority of the people claim that the tree should not touch the ground once it’s cut. There are two reasons for this. From a general sense, if a tree hits the ground it will be internally damaged.
Spiritually thinking, we find that the demons Madhukaidabhās were born from the earwax (karnamalam) of Lord Vishnu during the time of the flood. Earth got its name Mēdini since it was formed from the mēdhas (fat) of the demons Madhukaidabhās after they were killed by Mahāmāya. Because of this impurity, anything that is worshipped and anything that is to be worshipped, should not touch the earth. This is why it is said that the tree chosen for the sacred flagpole should not touch the earth once it’s cut.
On September 16, 2015, at the auspicious moment, all the above-mentioned rituals were completed in the presence of Āchārya Brahmasree Kantararu Rajeevararu along with Dēvaswom authorities in the master’s position and hundreds of devotees who gathered at Kallēli Hill in Kōnni. Sri Cherai Sukumaran Āshāri, the designated woodworker, received the worshipped weapon from Āchārya and showed the direction by carving the tree using a chisel. Sculptors Parumala Sri Ananthan Āchāri, Trippalloor Sri Sadasivan Āchāri, and other dignitaries witnessed the logging of the chosen tree as per the verdict. I would like to mention one thing in context here. Our ancestors showed love and care to nature and all living beings. Even if a plant grows in the soil by itself or is planted by others- naturally one can think, why should we ask permission to the tree when it is the human who claims its ownership. But the logging is done with respect and by accepting the assumption that the tree has a soul. Kindness is even shown to the insects. Logging is done by showing obeisance and receiving permission from subtle creatures, birds, and fraternal plants. These are also brilliant examples of our great visions. Greek travelers who visited India in ancient times have recorded sightings of tigers and leopards descending from the jungles to the hermitages of Indian saints and affectionately interacting with them. It signifies compassion for the fellow human beings of our ancestral geniuses. It means that even ferocious beasts could understand such compassionate hearts.
The logged tree was brought to Appuppan Kaav in Kōnni Kallelimala and was ceremoniously received by people present there. Devotees received it in a specially equipped vehicle which was followed by Sarana mantras and camphor aartis. The women, who had to wait for years to get the luck to visit Śabarimala, were content by seeing and sensing the
ideal tree chosen for the flagpole of the Lord. It was brought to Pandalam, the birthplace of the Lord, via Ōmalloor Rakthakandēshwara Temple in Pathanamthitta. They took rest at Pandalam on that day, the sacred place where Lord Ayyappa spent His childhood days, and the very next day it was taken to Pamba via Āranmula and Perunād. On reaching Pampa, Vriksharājan was dropped off at a specially prepared place on the north side of the Pampa Ganapathi temple as a result of the efforts of the crane and the devotees. Usually following the rules of the Dēvaswom Board, woodwork and Ennathōni making (an oil container for immersing the wood in oil), are assigned to licensed contractors after giving them tenders for their respective works. Contractor
Sri P. Palani Āchāri, who won the tender, sought the opinion of the Chief Sculptor (Sri Ananthan Āchāri) and assigned Cherai Sri Sukumaran Āshāri and his team to do the carpentry. Then Cherai Sri Sukumaran Āshāri, who was in charge, along with his son Kannan and his disciples mixed pachakarpooram (edible camphor) and raw turmeric and applied it to the wood to prevent it from getting damaged.
After the Nanthancode meeting about the new flagpole, discussions on its implementation took place in many parts with great enthusiasm. As earlier said, after the discussions, an ideal teak tree was found and cut down by performing all the required rituals, which were then brought to Pamba and safely kept without touching the ground. Meanwhile, the President of the current governing body advocate Govindan Nair and members Sri P.K. Kumaran and Sree Subash Vasu were replaced by Sri Prayar Gopalakrishnan as the new President, Sri Ajay Tharayil, and Sri Raghavan as the new members. Thus, a new governing body came into existence. As a result of the enthusiasm of the new committee which came into existence to implement the decision of the old governing body to build a new Golden Flagpole, many individuals and institutions came forward willingly to take over the Golden Flagpole and bear its full cost. Surely God would have already decided about who should take over the golden flag carrying his vehicle. God only needs the offering of the one who has wholeheartedly accepted him, not the stained money that is counted with filthy hands. That fortune came not to Kerala or Tamil Nadu or Karnataka, but to Sri Suresh Chukkapalli, the owner of Phoenix company who is a devout devotee of the Lord of
Ayyappa from Telangana. Things then proceeded expeditiously, as they were told that they could bear the full cost of the flagpole. The court was approached as per the decision of the court to do so under the direction and supervision of the court so as not to incur any objections as it is a temple, like Śabarimala, and is a matter of considerable amount. The court examined the matter and appointed an Advocacy Commission. It was directed that everything shall be done under the guidance of the committee with Advocate A.S.P Kurupu as its chairman and that the court should be informed at each stage of the work promptly. Advocate A.S.P Kurup, who was the chairman of the construction of the flagpole of Ettumanoor Temple which bears the patriarchal position of Lord Ayyappa, did his work appreciatively. He convened a review meeting at the Ettumanoor temple.
Āchāri, Trippalloor Sri Sadasivan Āchāri, and Cherai Sri Sukumaran Āshāri did detailed discussions. The decision of Parumala Sri Ananthan Āchāri as the Chief Sculptor, Tripalloor Sri Sadashivan Āchāri as the Sculptor of Sila (stone), and Madhurai Sri Balakrishnan Āchāri as the goldsmith, was decided to be informed to the court. Chief Sculptor Parumala Sri Ananthan Āchāri was entrusted with full responsibility for matters relating to the construction of the flagpole. Then, as per the special instructions of the Tantri, ʽOttarashi Prashnamʼ (finding Zodiac problems) was done by Kaduppasheri Sri Pathmanabha Sharma.
Then, one day, for the needs related to the Ettumanoor temple, Brahmasree Vezhapparambil Chithrabhanu Namboodiripad, Sri Ananthan Āchāri, Sri Sadasivan Āchāri, and Advocate Sri A.S.P. Kurup gathered at the Ettumanoor temple. Earlier in the review meeting, Tantri Brahmashree Kantararu Rajeevararu had asked to show the sketch and plan of the flagpole prepared by the present Sthapathi Sri M.K. Raju to another Sthapathi to ensure its accuracy. Accordingly, when they met at Ettumanoor, the Chief Sculptor of the new golden flagpole, Sri Ananthan Āchāri
informed Brahmasree Vezhpparambu Chithrabhanu Namboodiripad about this. He said that he would reply after thinking and asking permission from his mother and elder brothers. Vezhapparamban was ready after his mother and elder brothers granted permission saying that it is a matter of Śabarimala and it should be done.
Taking over the position, the Vāsthu Scholar reached Sannidhanam and started taking the measurements of the old flagpole. Brahmashree Vezhaparambil Chithrabhānu Nambuthiripad, using special scaffolding completed the measurements with the help of modern measuring instruments precisely and meticulously. He prepared the best measure i.e 14 Kol 2 Angulam and handed it over to the Tantri. It was then revered by the Tantri in the shrine and handed over to the Dēvaswom Executive Officer.
The wood is peeled and kept coated with camphor and turmeric without reducing its length. Soon Sri Sukumaran Āshāri, his son, and his disciples started preparing wood according to the calculations. Sri Sukumaran Āshāri is a pioneer in the field of carpentry and has a wealth of disciples all over Kerala. He is a skilled carpenter who gained fame by building several Sree Kovil (Sanctum Sanctorum), Chuttambalam (second enclosure), Namaskara Mandapa (pillared hall at the front portion of Sree Kovil).
Work progressed by making the Naala section as a square, the succeeding part as Ettupattam, and above it till Veerakanda as a circle.
The generous Guru enlisted the help of many of his disciples, hoping that it would be an opportunity for all his disciples to take part in the carpentry work of the flagpole at Śabarimala. Sukumaran Āshāri because of his good mind added his disciples Vishnu, Suku, Unni, Babu, Vishnu Malappuram, Adarsh, Ajith, and Anoop as helpers including his son Kannan.
The main work that needs to be done now is Thailādhivāsam. We read in the previous chapter about the discovery of the wood that was to be transformed into the Golden Flagpole, and the rituals that cut it down. With this alone, the process of preparation of wood doesn’t come to an end.
Wood is the core of the Dhwaja that must be kept upright for over a thousand years. Therefore, in addition to the strength of the wood, it is necessary to achieve extra strength. Considering it as a body, the health inside may not be the health we see on the outside. Even if there are any health problems or not, thailādhivāsam is a must-do procedure. Thailādhivāsam is a procedure where experienced people immerse the wood for 6 months in oil (ointments) made from various ayurvedic medicines to strengthen it. Black sesame oil is used for making ointments. The Bangalore unit of the Ayyappa Seva Sangham provided the oil required for the Thailādhivāsam of the flagpole at Śabarimala. The Board has appointed Mr. Ajith Kumar and Mr. Arun Kumar as the Special Officers of the Dēvaswom Board to oversee the follow-up work and assist the Tiruvābharanam Commissioner.
The ointment was prepared by Thodupuzha Sri Venu Ashan and his disciples Sri Kalesh and Sri Sarath. Since the age of eight Venu Ashan has been involved in the work of making ointments along with elder ones. Venu Ashan who learned uzhichil (oil massage) and Thirummal (massage) from Kaduthuruthy C.V.N.Kalari, has also mastered the secret techniques of Thailādhivāsam. Having learned all these, he is a person who gained fame by making thailam for thailādhivāsam for famous temples during the construction period of flagpoles.
105 cans of oil were required. 750 kg of Ayurvedic herbal medicines were procured from Kozhencherry. The thirty-two varieties of ayurvedic ingredients such as anjanam, kunthirikkam (frankincense), kavikallu, chenchalyam (kalkkam), akil, kottam, chandanam (sandalwood), ramacham (choornam/powder), atthi, itthi, arayāl, perāl, kadukka, nellikka (amla), and thānnikka, etc are used for making kashayam. By collecting pure black sesame oil from Vyttila Oil Mills, preparing thailam was started on October 1, 2015, at Pampa. Vasthu Scholar, Brahmashree Vezhapparambil Chithrabhanu Namboodiripad poured the fire from the chandelierlit by Dēvaswom President Sri Prayar Gopalakrishnan into the hearth. The ointment preparation started only after performing all the rituals. The people involved in the making of the ointment stayed at Pampa underwent strict fasting for seven days and did their work as an offering.
First, twenty-eight liters of water with five kilograms of herbs were boiled in a copper pot till it became one-fourth. The kashayam obtained by filtering 7 liters is poured into a copper container and is stirred well by pouring 15kg of oil into it. Along with it, 2 kg of Kalkkam is added to the oil and
made into sand form in low heat. Then 500 g of choornam (powder) is added (for one can of oil). It takes twelve days to make the oil, one yogam requires five cans of oil, thus, a total of 100 cans of oil were required.
Thailādhivāsam is the process of pouring devotionally prepared hot oil into a cotton cloth-covered wood which is lowered in a specially made Ennathōni.
The first step is to make the Ennathōni using wood or concrete such that the wood used for making Kodimaram lies completely immersed in it. In Pampa, Parumala Sri P. Palani Āchāri made an Ennathōni 42 feet long and 2 feet wide out of concrete. This Thailādhivāsam ceremony was held on Thursday the 20th of October 2015 near Pamba Ganapathi Temple between 7 am and 8:30 am. Tantri Brahmasree Kantararu Rajeevararu completed all the tāntric rituals required and poured the prepared oil into 51 copper pots. He poured the first pot of oil on the wood in the Ennathōni, which was witnessed by hundreds of devotees, Dēvaswom bearers, Dēvaswom officials, sculptors, and eminent personalities in the field of cinema and politics.
M.P Sri Suresh Gopi, Dēvaswom Commissioner Sri Ramaraja Premaprasad, Chief Engineer General Sri G. Murali Krishnan, Ombudsman Justice Sri Raman, Sri Ramesh Chukkapalli on behalf of Phoenix Company, Smt Parvathy, Dēvaswom Commissioner of Tiruvābharanam (By this time Smt. T.R Anitha, who was the Commissioner of Tiruvābharanam, had resigned. From then until the
consecration, Smt. Parvati was there with full dedication to everything.), Executive Officer Sri Ravishankar, Sri Thennala Balakrishna Pillai, Adv. Sri A.S.P Kuruppu, Pampa Melsanthi Sri Parameswaran Namboothiri, Sculptors Parumala Sri Ananthan Āchāri, and Thrippalloor Sri Sadasivan Āchāri, Cherayi Sri Sukumaran Āshāri, Sri Venu Vaidyan, who prepared the Thailam, and his assistants Sri Kalesh and Sri Sarath were present and poured the Thailam into the Ennathōni. There was something that amazed everyone when the ceremony was completed in a very beautiful and devotional atmosphere. No one knows where the snake came from but it completely disappeared after circumambulating the Ennathōni.
Everyone believed that Nāgarājan came as the guardian of the flagpole of the Lord. Thus Vriksharājan had Thailādhivāsam for six months in the Ennathōni, near Ganapati Kōvil in Pampa. In the meantime, a few days later, from the talks of certain people it came to light that the timber kept in the Ennathōni for the flagpole was earlier chosen for the construction of Mannārasala Nāgarāja temple. I went to Mannārasala because of that anxiety in my mind along with my wife Lakshmi and son Kashi. It was a busy day at the temple. Although I couldn’t see Mannārasala Amma, I arranged to inform Amma about my visit. As per the details I informed after reaching home, my father along
with Sri Sadashivan Āchāri and Madhura Sri Balakrishnan Āchāri arrived at Mannārasala at the time scheduled to visit Amma. After the Darshan at the temple, they saw Amma and informed her of everything. Anyway, it is a matter of Lord Ayyappa, so as per Amma’s advice they performed the required Vazhipādu and returned home.
As I was describing all these things, I forgot to tell about my happiness and gratitude, as the son of the Chief sculptor, also of my family, my countrymen, and everyone in the workshop had. The news of my father’s appointment as the chief sculptor of the flagpole had already spread through the news channels. Everyone was happy. Today we got the greatest and rarest achievement of our lifetime, to be a part of the golden flagpole at Śabarimala. Me, my father, my family, and all the people in the workshop started strict fasting for the succeeding days. The following days were filled with the thoughts and investigations of adorning the flagpole as best as possible. Having decided that the happiness of choosing the auspicious date for copper work is to be shared primarily with the Lord’s family, I went to Pandalam palace. Only then did I know that the Royal representative Sri Sasikumara Varma was at Thiruvananthapuram. Niece Deepa Chechi called him on the phone for me and then I informed him about all these, he gave all his blessings and support. He also advised me to go to the Trāvancōre Palace and meet Her Highness Aswathi Thirunāl and Her Highness Pooyam Thirunāl Parvatibai to seek their blessings.
My wife Lakshmi, son Kashinath and I soon set out for Thiruvananthapuram, feeling guilty that for the first blessing, we did not approach the Trāvancōre dynasty itself, since they had welcomed the ancestors of the Lord from Madurai with open arms. First met Sasi Kumara Varma Thampuran,
received his treat, and accompanied him to the palace. He had already acquired permission from Amma Thamburātti to see her in person.
For the first time in my life, I saw the Travancore Palace. Wonder, fear, devotion, and respect rushed into my mind. The royal family, who invited my ancestors from Sankarankōvil in Tamil Nadu to Malayalam Nadu, made me a part of this country. My mind was filled with pride. Soon after, Her Highness Aswathi Thirunāl came down to the visitor’s room. What a noble appearance, calmness, and simple dressing. The radiance of Sree Padmanabhadāsi seemed to fill the whole place.
I said everything in one breath. Amma Thamburātti sat only after seating each of us. She heartfully chatted with my son Kashi and wife Lakshmi. She reminded me that this chance to build the golden flagpole is my greatest luck and also due to the blessings of the Lord. She specifically reminded me that - “Ananthu- the whole flagpole work should be entirely done at your family placeˮ. For this, the reason she said was that each and everything regarding the flagpole should be recorded because none of these were recorded earlier. Within a short time she had written my name as Ananthu in her heart though it was Anu, this indicates the goodness of Amma’s mind. I felt that it was a continuation of the same love of the dynasty that had welcomed my ancestors, who as a destiny arrived at Trāvancōre from Sankarankōvil.
It should not be like those structures that have left no mark on the time, sculptors, dedications, timelines, and so on. Amma also said that the soil on which the flagpole of the Lord will be built will always be taken care of by the Lord and it will last for generations. When I informed Amma about the date of commencement of the work, she assured
her presence on that day for the karma of God if there were no difficulties. Sri Sasikumara Varma said that food for Amma would be arranged in the Pandalam palace when I asked about what food I should prepare for her. But Amma notified me that she shall have food at my home, with just the condition that the onions should be avoided.
I felt extreme contentment when she announced that she would have food at my home. I was amazed at the character heritage of the Trāvancōre dynasty that survives even today.
As the auspicious moment for the stonework and copper work was decided, from the workshop at Parumala they set out with strict fasting and filling the Pallikettu, to see the Lord worship and seek permission thereby showing the thakidu which is to be a part of the flagpole. Advocate Commissioner A.S.P Kurup Sir, Chief Sculptor Sri. Ananthan Āchāri, stone sculptor Trippalloor Sri Sadasivan Āchāri, brother-in-law Dr. Rajesh and his daughter Ammukutty, Sarath, Vishnu, Philendran, Reghu Annan, Sivan Annan, and myself. Even on those busy days, considering us as a group of sculptors who came to worship the Vēdika Thakidu, we had full support from the police and Dēvaswom till we handed over the Thakidu to Tantri at the Sannidhānam.
When my father handed over the copper sheet for Vēdika to the Tantri after showing it to the Lord in devotion, the Tantri accepted it and instructed them to stay there on that day and made arrangements for accommodation. The next day, after performing all the proper poojas and after the Ucha pooja, the worshipped thakidu was received together by Chief Sculptor Sri Ananthan Āchāri and Stone Sculptor Trippalloor Sri Sadashivan Āchāri in front of the Lord. The Tantri blessed us by reminding us once again that the sheet was to be built like a golden flagpole according to the wishes of the Lord and that all the blessings for it would be there throughout the work. On returning with the sacred thakidu for the Vēdika of the Lord, there was a tenfold devotion and firm belief in the responsibility of the deed that was going to be done.
That day was on December 14, 2016, marking the beginning of the work of Ādhāraśila and the most important copper work of the Golden flagpole.
Parumala village woke up early in the morning. Believers and non-believers alike are flocking to the residence and workshop of Chief Sculptor Sri Ananthan Āchāri at Parumala to witness the holy moment. On the previous day itself, all the devotees and local natives decorated the place attached to the workshop with flowers and garlands. The miniatures, including the Pathinettāmpadi of the Śabarimala Sannidhānam, were prepared under the initiative of the workers. Brahmaśree Chithrabhānu Namboodiripad and Brahmaśree Wembleece Narayanan Namboodiripad officiated the Ganapathi Homa and Ayyappa Pooja and made appropriate offerings for Panayannārkāvil Amma also.
By then, personalities from the film, political, literary, cultural industries, and other personalities from different
parts of the country came along with their family. The local natives and devotees volunteered themselves to welcome everyone.
The disciples, friends, and relatives of the Chief Sculptor and Sri Sadasivan Āchāri were the ones who took the lead in everything and ran errands to participate in the sculptural work of the Śabarimala flagpole. The joy of being able to be a part of a great duty within everyone was evident in their facial expressions.
Even before the appointed moment, Her Highness Aswathi Thirunāl Gowri Lakshmibai landed on the ground of Parumala in a car having Shankh Mudra and Rājamudra. All those who were expecting Her Highness’s arrival reached near Amma’s vehicle. High Court Commissioner Advocate A.S.P Kurup Sir, Chief Sculptor Sri Ananthan Āchāri, and Sri Sadasivan Āchāri welcomed and seated Her Highness with a Poorna Kumbham (full amulet). The ceremonies were going to begin. Her Highness’s entry was as radiant as the
golden light that spread from a chandelier. His son Sri Brahmadathan was present on behalf of Tantri Brahmaśree Kantararu Rajeevararu. Sri Brahmadathan poured the lamp from the lighted lamp for Ayyappa Pooja and handed it over to Thamburātti. Thamburātti meditated on the Lord for a moment and lit the wick of the Ganapati lamp in the east and west directions. The minds of the devotees were also furnished with prayers. On behalf of the Tantri, his son Sri Brahmadathan, High Court Commissioner Advocate Sri A.S.P Kurup Sir, Chief Engineer General Sri Murali Krishnan, Film Director Sri Major Ravi, Cricketer Sri Sreesanth, Sri Kummanam Rajasekharan and Sri P.C. Vishnunath lit the lamp and were satisfied.
The pure copper sheet was brought from Jagadhri in Haryana. Excellent stones for stonework were brought in from all four directions, Ambasamudram, Nagercoil, Tenkashi, and Vadasserikkara. The stone brought from Vadasserikkara was used for the Ādhārashila.
Well-known sculptors Parumala Sri Ananthan Āchāri, Trippalloor Sri Sadasivan Āchāri, and his disciples were ready to start work. By giving Dakshina, Chief Sculptor Sri Ananthan Āchāri and Sri Sadasivan Āchāri received the tools from Sri Brahmadathan, son of Tantri. My father marked the start of the copper work by assuring the measure
of the Vedika Thakidu with a Muzhakōlu (measuring scale). Also, Sri Sadasivan Āchāri using the chisel started carving the foundation stone. He was assisted by Hari, Aji, and Arun. With that, the workshop and the workers woke up. Although the foundation stonework was started at Parumala, further work was done at Sri Sadasivan Āchāri’s workshop at Chengannur, Trippalloor. As suggested by Her Highness, kanji (Porridge) and asthram (a type of dish) gave satisfaction to all who came.
Food for Amma was made as per her instruction. I felt happy, satisfied, and proud when Thamburātti ate with contentment. Amma Mahārani, who eats the Amruthethu (best food) of the Trāvancōre palace, stepped on the land of this humble man and ate the food of the children of this land wholeheartedly. What more virtue is needed?
Thamburātti’s loving conversation with my mother, recollecting from Her mind and calling my son by his name Kāshi, lovingly mingling with my wife Lakshmi, and also with those common people who came to see Her. My name must have been a continuation of Ananthapadmanabhan’s memory, as I said before, mother had written my name as Ananthu in Her mind, and yet there was love in Her call, like mother’s love.
When Amma gets into a car having Shankhumudra on it and leaves, it felt as if all the radiance that was there for so long has gone with Amma. But that was not the case, she returned by blessing that the brightness she shed with Her arrival would last forever in that land. For remembering Her Highness’s visit forever, she gifted me, my wife Lakshmi, son Kashi, father, and mother, with a commemorative thakidu having memories of Sri Padmanabha.
Sōpana musician Ambalappuzha Sri Vijayakumar’s Ayyappa Sōpana music and chanting of Swāmi mantras in the minds of the devotees thus made the day sacred.
Following were the days when plenty of blessings from Lord Ayyappa was known and experienced. Everyone who worked there was experiencing it at every stage of the copper work. Each and every worker had a feeling that someone invisible was whispering to them in their ears, the suggestions, measurements, and meanings at each step of the copper work.
There was no unnecessary touch of a chisel and pressure of the hammer anywhere. Without any doubt, everyone was active day and night in the sacred house at Parumala with one mind. Each night, even when he slept late, my father used to dream about the next day’s work moments. He had a clear idea of how the flagpole should be built at Śabarimala. Whatever the case may be, the new golden flagpole needs construction variations that anyone can accept. It used to arise in his mind whenever he needed it and used to inform me clearly. Obeying my father’s words as it is, I recited them one by one to those who were working. At each stage of the work, devotees from all over Kerala and outside used to come daily to watch the work progress. Ayyappa devotees in the field of cinema, politics, literature, and culture found their time, irrespective of day or night would come, see, sit, and eat satisfactorily. Sri Oommen Chandy Sir used to come
sometimes. M.P Sri Suresh Gopi, Radhika Chechi, Sri Ranji Panicker, Sri Kummanam Rajasekharan, Actor Sri Devan, Sri Manoj K Jayan, Music Director Sri Ratheesh Vega, and many more Ayyappa devotees used to come without any differences, be it big or small. We used to see the Swāmi devotees who piously took the soil from the workshop where Swāmi’s golden flagpole was being built and taken away.
The works of the Parās, Vendayams, and other decorations became fast. Hari, Philendranannan, Murukannan, and Unni each forgot themselves. Ettumanoor Mahesh, Sarath, and Ranjith did the carving with great precision. Rajappanannan and Rekhuannan provided all the instructions required for Radhakrishnan Annan to weld everything. The Padma Paaduka and Panchavargattara are covered using copper, by Tirupati Sri Nagarajan, Sri Jnana Sekhar, and his colleagues. The precision and togetherness of the team, who are talented in all aspects, to the final stage of everything. Appa assigned the responsibility of design suggestions to me.
Vēdika with decorations, and four Vāji forms on the Vēdika lid, followed by the Padma, and Ashtadikpālakās on top of it. The Vyāli-mukham was portrayed above the bundles of wires on the first Para (an ornament) that was above the Ashtadikpālakās. Vendayam along with the Padma on top of it, flower and bundle of wires on the second Para, and ‘Tatvamasi’ in Malayalam and Sanskrit in the middle of the bundle of wires. ‘Tatvamasi’ in Malayalam was designed to be visible while going upstairs through the Pathinettāmpadi, and ‘Tatvamasi’ in Sanskrit was designed such that it is visible from the west. On the third Para there are only bundles of wire as they are to be tied with rope, and on the fourth Para are the weapons of Lord Mahadevan, the patriarch of the Lord, such as Damaru, Kombu (horn), Mazhu (axe) and Shoolam (skewer).
On the fifth Para, the weapons of Lord Vishnu in the concept of the mother are Shankhu (conch), Chakra (wheel), Gadha, and the Padma.
On the sixth Para, are the Lord’s weapons - the sword, the arrow, the bow, Amrutha Kalasam, and the Dand.
The second Vendayam is also with the Padma and the third Vendayam has beautiful carvings in the form of ropes. Each Para above it has bundles of wires at equal distances. Thus a total of 15 Parās and Vendayams, with Mālasthānam, Lashunam, Kudam, Malathupadmam, and Mandikapalaka on top of it, and above it is the Veerakandam. Thus each one was done with precision.
A hole was made on the copper Mālasthānam, one Dwāradand below, from the tip of the Dhwaja timber, at a 45 degree tilted angle for lowering the dand as the hypotenuse, in which the flag is hoisting. All these were polished and made beautiful by Sri Jagadeesh.
Ashtadikpālakās above the Padma below. Indra is facing to the east, Agni to the right of Indra, then Yaman, Nirurti, Varuna to the west, then Vayu, then Kuberan, and then
Eesanan. Ashtadikpālakās can be distinguished by their weapons. The Ashtadikpālakās were made beautiful by suitably decorating and giving their own weapons in their hand. Prabhā-mandalam and the bell which is to be adorned on Lord’s golden flagpole and the Vajivahana, which is to be installed on the ThankaDhwaja, are all made at the same time when the Ashtadikpalakas are made.
The Vajivahana and the Ashtadikpalakas were designed by Sri Chandran Āchāri of Mavelikkara on the exact instructions of the Chief Sculptor. In all sense, it was as if God had done it directly. There is already one thing special and noteworthy. In Chengannur Trippalloor, the works of the Base stone, Charukallu, Padma paaduka, and Panchavargathara were quickly and precisely completed under the guidance of Sri Sadasivan Āchāri. The finished Panchavargattara was brought to the workshop at Parumala. Here it was added exactly as it should be placed around a flagpole as Padma Paaduka, Paadukam, Jagathy, Kumudam, Galam, Kapōtham. My father and Sri Sadasivan Āchāri were adamant not to hurt the stone by piercing it for any reason because in a sense these are organs. It was a kind of compulsion to assemble through new technology and it was successful. A new method of tightening each part by overlapping the one with the other and tightening the bolts placed on the outside seen part by using the nuts placed inside. This was done successfully in a way that did not cause any damage to any of the organs. On the copper covering around it are extremely beautiful carvings. When the elephant, the horse, the wild vines, and the flowers spread out, the Padma paadukam with Padma was very beautiful to look at and satisfying to everyone.
Let us now look into the specialties of molding the Vājivāhana, Ashtadikpālakās, Prabhā-mandalam, and bells.
By now it was time to bring the finished Parās, Vendayams, and decorations to Pampa. An offering was made to Panayannārkāvil Amma. Under the supervision of the Advocate Commissioner, everything was once again arranged as if on the flagpole and handed over to the Dēvaswom office bearers to ensure accuracy. The youths from various directions paved the way with two-wheelers and set out from the workplace at Parumala to Pampa accompanied by hundreds of devotees and workers. Reception at all temples along the way. Receiving all the respect of the devotees reached Pampa on April 30, 2017.
By this time, the goldsmithing work had started, at a specially prepared and highly guarded place in Pampa under the leadership of Madurai Sri Balakrishnan Āchāri, his son Sri Venkatesh, Tirupati Sri Jnanasekharan, and many other goldsmiths (09-04-2017). Madurai Sri Balakrishnan Āchāri was fortunate enough to do goldsmithing at prominent temples in India, including the Meenākshi Temple in Madurai. The gold purchased directly by Dēvaswom from Customs has been assured by subjecting it to all sorts of quality checks.
The gold biscuits were placed in a specially prepared furnace, which was blown till they become red hot and flattened like a ribbon with the help of machines, which cut them into two centimeters squares and turn them into micro thickness. For this, it was meticulously beaten and flattened by 10-12 workers together in the same rhythm by placing it on a book made of camel’s rough bladder. Then it was placed into a much slightly softer bladder book and turned into two-inch squared pieces.
Then the golden sheet is kept in a book made of the extremely thin bladder, which is beaten and flattened into 44-inches square papers, and kept in specially prepared books. Approximately a book holds 35 grams of gold i.e. 29 books are required to collect 1 kg of gold. It is then plated on a copper plate with the help of mercury.
As mentioned earlier, the copper parās and ornaments were delivered to Pampa on 30 April 2017. On May 1st itself, gold-plating began on the organs of the flagpole which were made from copper. An offering was made to Lord Ganapathi at Pamba and Tantri started affixing the gold on it at first. Chief Sculptor Sri Ananthan Āchāri, Trippalloor Sri Sadasivan Āchāri, Dēvaswom Board office bearers, High Court Commissioner, Ombudsman, Vigilance SP, Tiruvābharana Commissioner, Dēvaswom Special Commissioner, and Chief Engineer General were present and affixed the gold.
The local natives, devotees, and Dēvaswom officials were all satisfied by being eyewitnesses and participating in affixing gold. The Dēvaswom Board supervised the preparation of food for the workers and the organizers in Pampa, but the people in the vicinity continued to donate vegetables, fruits, and other food items as an offering regardless of caste or creed.
Before describing Vājivāhana Casting Day here, I can’t help but mention a mission that is my own.
It was about demolishing the flagpole that had been existing in the presence of the Lord for years. Before the
demolition of the old flagpole, the spirit of God in it must be invoked and it must be dissolved into the Lord, in the shrine. According to the Tantric rule, the flagpole must be demolished only after this karma, and as its first step the Vājivāhana installed on it is to be removed. After the Tāntric rituals, Brahmasree Kantararu Rajeevararu asked my Father about untying the vehicle in the presence of the devotees who came to Sannidhānam that day, those who came for the ceremony, those who came after knowing about it, Dēvaswom bearers, and other officials. “Anantha how to untie that? Who is going up?”. When my father said, “It’s okay, Thirumeni, someone will go up”, he said, “ It’s not good that someone goes up, where is he, where is Anu ‘’ and called me while asking my father. “What! are you afraid to climb?” Tantri asked. “No,” I replied. “Then, climb up along with E.M.S, untie the Vājivāhana and bring it down,” said the Tantri. Half-heard and half-unheard, I looked at E.M.S Thirumeni (Sri. S. Narayanan Nampoothiri), he indicated to me with his eyes to climb up. Followed by Thirumeni and workers. Thus we reached up. When the Śarana Mantras of the devotees boomed, I touched the Lord’s Vājivāhana and folded my hands, asking pardon and permission in mind to the sculptors and workers of the old flagpole, with a prayerful mind, I calmly untied it and handed over to my father, who is the chief Sculptor. Appa took over the Vaji vehicle and handed it over to the Tantri. From
Veerakāndam to Vēdika, each was meticulously separated. Vezhapparambu Thirumeni was also present to check it and mark the new measurement.
The flagpole was demolished that day. All the final rites that are done for human beings should also be performed for the Flagpole when it’s demolished. Since the flagpole was made of concrete, the kodikkai made out of teak was removed and dissolved into the fire in a pyre, made in a specially prepared place on the south side of the temple. Ajithettan and Arunettan took the initiative for all this.
My Śabarimala without a flagpole. My heart sank. Yet I quickly regained my composure. Isn’t it God who is making us do everything? I was relieved that soon a new golden flagpole will be erected, just as God had wished.
Tantri Brahmasree Kantararu Rajeevararu announced the best time for making Vājivāhana and allied casting works on March 11, 2017, at the workshop of Chief Sculptor Sri Ananthan Āchāri. The casting of the Lord’s Vājivāhana and other allied accessories, should not be thought of lightly by anyone. The task of preparing the Vāji, Dikpālakās, and other decorations prepared for the casting, as well as the liquid metal that is to be melted and poured onto the
Vājivāhana, was to be done only with precision. Rather than work, it should be considered as the result of an action.
First, the wax figure of Vāji was prepared, which was taken to the Matham (house) and shown to the Tantri, when he satisfyingly acknowledged it, his opinion was informed to the court and then informed by the court to the Dēvaswom Board. The soil binding (preparations of works using soil) started after the Dēvaswom Board officials, the ombudsman, the chief engineer, and the Dēvaswom Commissioner expressed their satisfaction. By this time the wax form of the Ashtadikpālakās, Prabhā-mandalam, and decorative bells had been completed. Sri Suresh Gopi M.P and his wife came to see this.
The first step was to grind the soil. This was done under the guidance of Sri Shivan Āchāri. Very thin Poochi soil is used. This is to prevent pores in the casted form. Poochi soil and Idichi soil (a soil made by mixing cow dung, jute, and mud in a particular proportion) are used. Liquid poochie soil is rubbed in the finished mold and dried under the sun, then reinforced by rubbing the Idichi soil on top of it. Usually, after it has dried well, rubbing poochie soil on top of it, then the broken pieces of the earthen pot are glued, strengthened, and it is made perfect by applying soil again on top of it and dried well. There will be 2 holes in it and which are called runner and riser. Thus the Vājivāhana, the Ashtadikpālakās, Prabhā-mandalas, Peetam, and the bells required for it, are all shaped in this way.
Ganapathi Pooja, Ayyappa Pooja, and offerings to Panayannārkāvil Amma on the date fixed by the Tantri. Furnace and kiln were prepared. By then, hundreds of people from all over the country kept arriving at the workshop and home. Among them were Sri Suresh Gopi, actors Devan,
Kailas, Manoj K Jayan, Vivek Gopan, actress Gautami Nair, cricketer Sri Sreesanth, Tamil devotional singer Sri Veeramani Raju, Dēvaswom President Prayar Sri Gopalkrishnan, members Sri Ajay Tharayil, Sri K.Raghavan, Tiruvābharana Commissioner Smt Parvati Madam, Dēvaswom Chief Engineer General Sri Murali Krishnan, Sri Kummanam Rajasekharan, District Judge Sri Manoj, Collector Smt Girija, Pandalam Palace Representatives, Vigilance S.P. Sri Ratheesh Krishna, Tantris, Brahmasree Wembleeece Namboodiripad, Ayyappa Sēva Sangham bearers, Ettumanoor, Kollam Shakthikulangara Temple
Advisory Committee Members, Ambalapuzha Sangham and many more. High Court Commissioner Advocate S.P Kurup Sir presided over everything.
Tantri Brahmasree Kantararu Rajeevararu lit the lamp from the chandelier (nilavilakku) towards the kiln. Then he lowered the first mold filled with copper and silver. Lowered the other molds orderly. Near, the wax-filtered die was placed in a specially constructed furnace for proper preparation. It was Tantri who ignited the fire on it too.
Began heating to melt the required amount of silver and copper. In the next furnace, the die began to get ready. Devotees started offering gold and silver as offerings towards the molten liquid. In addition to this, there will be gold and silver decided by Dēvaswom. Many of the formerly mentioned famous personalities provided their offerings as gold and silver. Tantri himself was the first to pour gold.
During this time, the place was teeming with Śarana Mantras. Sri Veeramani Raju’s concert made the ceremony the culmination of devotion.
All those who came were given water and traditionally served them kanji (rice gruel), astram (a type of dish),
kadumānga (mango pickle), and pappadam in a pala pāthram (Arecanut Leaf Plate)as Annadāna.
Chandran, Mahesan Kurattikkad, Gopalakrishnan, Rajendran, and Sivan Āchāri were in charge of the casting work. The statues were designed by the aforementioned Chandran Āchāri. Thus the casting of the Lord’s Vaji vehicle, Ashtadikpālakās, Prabhā-mandalas, and the decorative bells came to a beautiful end that day. It should be noted that at this time the presence of the Krishna falcon above was a testament to this auspicious moment.
All those who came to see the casting of Vājivāhana were almost gone by evening. It looked like an empty battlefield. Exhausted workers, who had been running for days in connection with the casting of Vājivāhana (vehicle), almost went home to rest for a while. It was only me, my father, and my family who were left at home. Even though I was tired, I couldn’t get a nap and my father could not sleep either. I could fall asleep only after seeing the excellent appearance of that Vājivāhana without any scratches. Lakhs of devotees were waiting for that great news. They all have laid their faith in Ananthan Āchāri of Parumala.
The next morning has arrived. It’s time to break the casted mold. With a prayerful mind, we broke the cast of the Vāhana. Many people eagerly came to witness the Vājivāhana of Lord Ayyappa. At this fortunate moment, unknowingly everyone is forced to recite Śarana mantras. With Ayyappa’s blessings, the Vājivāhana was born without any scratches or damage. Everyone was happy. Similarly cast Prabhāmandalam, Ashtadikpālakās, and Bronze bells for decoration all were born in impeccable shape and size.
Polishing work of everything was done rapidly under the leadership of Chandran Āchāri. On all these occasions devotees and dignitaries from states like Karnataka, Tamil
Nadu, and Andhra used to come to see the Vājivāhana. Women from nearby places came and stood looking with utmost devotion. Maybe it will be a long time later that they can go and see something like this before God.
Vājivāhana and allied goods are needed to be brought to Pamba for goldwork. Ettumanoor temple advisory members and Sakthikulangara temple advisory members came forward to take on the task of transporting it from Parumala to Pampa. The court’s consent was required for this matter and the court agreed to it.
Vājivāhana along with other goods are carried on the vehicle in which Ayyappa’s sacred ornaments (Tiruvābharanam) are carried. Vājivāhana was taken to Pampa in a procession on the next day June 4, 2017, after making all the necessary preparations in the vehicle the day before. First, we started the procession carrying the Lord’s vehicle to Panayannārkāvu Devi Temple.
Unni thirumeni, the priest at Panayannārkāvu Dēvi temple welcomed the procession carrying Vājivāhana by performing camphor aarti. After that, the procession was received with a flower garland in front of Thiruvārmangalathappan. Received devotional receptions
at all the temples leading from here to Pampa. Women and children were content in offering flowers for the procession carrying Vājivāhana.
The procession reached Erumēli by evening and from there to Pampa. At Pampa, the Vājivāhana and all other
allied goods were handed over to the High Court commission. The next step is to cover the Vājivāhana with gold. A lot of people came expressing their desire for it. On 7 June, Sri Shaji Kailas, Mrs. Menaka Suresh, Mr. Renji Panicker, Mr. Sudheer Karamana, Sri Suresh Gopi M.P, and his son came to paste the gold on the Vājivāhana.
The flagpole had already been taken out and kept to drain out the oil. The base circumference was re-measured using coconut palm leaf. Instead of wrapping the sheet on a fixed nail, a cup was made from a copper sheet and the portion of the flagpole which goes below the earth was lowered into that cup. The Ettupattam portion of the flagpole was made to the intended measure and then lowered from the top, and joined downwards. It was built by Radhakrishnan, Rajappan Āchāri, and Rekhunathan Āshāri. Only a few days were left for that historic moment when the new golden flagpole will be erected in the courtyard of the Lord.
The competition between the sculptor and the stone was intensifying at the workshop of Thrippalloor Sri Sadasivan Āchāri in Chengannur. Stones for Śabarimala were found from Tenkāśi, Ambā Samudra, Nāgercōil and Vadasserikkara. Making a sculpture should be done with the finest stone. Sri Sadasivan Āchāri is a formerly experienced sculptor who had worked in Śabarimala earlier. He is experienced from a very young age having worked with his father in Śabarimala, Pamba, and many more. Sri Sadasivan Āchāri experimented with certain changes in some of the earlier construction methods in connection with the sculptural work at Śabarimala. The regular way of making the square foundation stone is making it with the existing measurements.
However, in the case of Śabarimala, the base stone with Padmadalam is more ornately carved than the usual works. Though he could seek the help of disciple wealth, the sculptor Sri Sadasivan Āchāri himself did the carving.
Stones include Padma Pādukam, Pādukam, Kumudam, Galam, and Kapōtham but Padma Pādukam is not included in the measurement. The height from the pādukam to the veerakāndam is the basic measure of a flagpole. The total
height of the flagpole, which is taken as the height from the Pādhukakkeezhu (cheruppu nirappu) till Veerakāndam, is considered the basic height of the flagpole.
In the case of Śabarimala, Padma Pādukam is included to beautify the Pancha Vargathara. Usually, in temples, when the flagpole is made, each of its five limbs, the Pādukam, the Jagati, the Kumudam, the Galam, and the Kapōtham are made by dividing them into 4 parts. However, each stone from the Pādukam to Kapōtham, of the stone at Śabarimala was completed in two parts by Sadasivan Āchāri. That is, Padma Pādukam - two parts, Pādukam - two parts, Jagati - two parts, Kumudam -two parts, and Kapōtha and Gala together-two parts.
The completion of the two-sectioned work was so laborious. Likewise, the carving of the Ādhārashila and the Chārukallu (Chāru stone) which are included in the accounts was also laborious, and the Chārukallu has a kuduma/ Shikha ( tuft/wisp) supporting the timber from below. For the Chārukallu to stay strong this kuduma is placed into the base stone (Ādhārashila).
Thus the four chāru stones, the base stone, and the panchavargattara that accompanies the Padmapāduka on top of it were built beautifully by Sri Sadasivan Āchāri such that it will be marked forever in his sculptural life.
The Ādhāraśila was brought to Pamba on 5th April 2017 from the workshop in the Tiruvābharana vehicle, accompanied by the Ambalapuzha group with pomp receiving a cordial welcome from devotees and temples along the way to Pampa, after the function where distinguished persons and devotees participated. The next morning after the offerings at Pamba, they brought it to Sannidhānam by
As the ascent was not possible through the north side, these were pulled up by a large number of people through the sidewalk along the edge of the Bhasma Kulam (ash pond) with the help of coconut leaf stalks, bamboo shoots, and tree stumps. God saved us from an immense danger that would have occurred during this ascending of the Ādhārashila.
While pulling up the stone, when the piece of wood that was supporting it slipped, another piece of wood joined unexpectedly and blocked this, thus a big accident was avoided. The anointing of the rain welcomed the base stone when it reached Sannidhānam. Be it any sculptural
work, impurities can occur in many ways and we can think of this rain as the sprinkling of holy water to remove these impurities.
As the time for the dedication of the base stone had already been determined, Rajesh, owner of Parumala R.R.P store along with his team had previously removed the remains of the old flagpole. There, the exact position of the base stone was once again measured and was confirmed, and based on this a Nālam of one dwāradeerkham was dug and in it, a pit was precisely prepared such that the Ādhārashila can enter into it. The foundation stone and charu stones arrived at Sannidhānam.
All the tantric rituals including the anointing of kalasa were completed. On April 7, 2017 (1192 Pisces 24) at the auspicious time between 10:45 am and 12.00 noon, Tantri Brahmasree Kantararu Rajeevararu laid the foundation stone at Makam Nakshatra and performed Aarti. We can think the presence of the Sri Krishna falcon flying above in circular motion indicated the satisfied Lord who witnessed and experienced the Tantri’s accurate and faultless Tāntric actions in laying the foundation stone.
Pampa and Sannidhānam are almost ready for the realization of the dedication of the Golden Flagpole. The works on the flagpole, which took place in different parts of the country, were first concentrated at Pampa and later reached Sannidhānam. The tree, kept in Thailādhivāsam for six months, was taken from the Ennathoni at Pampa and kept stored to drain out the oil. Now, it is time to bring it to Sannidhānam and set it on the Ādhāraśila. It was then that the thought arose in everyone’s mind as to how such a large log could be brought to such an elevated Sannidhānam. Dēvaswom Board officials, High Court observers, and sculptors held consultations. But one thing was unanimously decided that the wood should be brought through the same forest path by which the Devotees come to see the Lord i.e. the path filled with thorns and stones. This firm determination led them to experiment with certain methods. The day before the timber was to be transported, under the guidance of Chief Engineer General a Galvanised Iron (GI) Pipe was cut of the same size as the timber and a trial run was conducted from Sannidhānam to Pampa. Thinking that there would be a lot of difficulties when the tree arrived at Marakkootam, necessary arrangements were made for it. By then, hearing the information, various groups volunteered to bring the
timber from Pampa to Sannidhānam. The Ayyappa Sēva Sanghas, people with trolley service, the devotees, the policemen, and the guards were all ready to make any sacrifice to bear the weight of the Lord. In the ensuing deliberations, it was decided broadly that let all of them participate in a situation where not even one of the men could be avoided. Under the leadership of Neelimangalam Prabhan, forty men tied twenty sticks crosswise on the wood and strengthened it. People will keep either side of each stick on their shoulders. Twenty people were found as substitutes, to hand over if anyone felt difficulties. Divided the path into eighteen spots, such that it represents the 18 hills that include Śabarimala and its environs. There will be special people along with the wood, carrying three iron stands to put it down at each spot.
After performing aarti at Pampa the journey to Sannidhānam started on May 22, 2017. Dēvaswom board officials and sculptors also took part in the first hundredmeter journey. It was considered to be an eight hours long journey from Pampa to Sannidhānam.
During these times, various celebrations were organized to make the journey exciting and devotional. Āranmula Vanchipāttu Sangham, Panayannārkāvil Amma’s
Kuthiyōttam, Panchavādyam, and Pamba Mēlam accompanied them. While being taken from Pampa, in the sky the Krishna falcon flew along with the journey of wood as the presence of the Lord.
No one, even the wood knew that they had traveled through the steep ascents and descents from Pampa to Sannidhānam, and reached Sannidhānam in just two hours without feeling any fatigue and without landing the wood anywhere.
At Pathinettāmpadi, Mēlsānthi Sri Unnikrishnan Namboothiri and Mālikappuram Mēlsānthi Sri Puthumana Manu Namboodiri together received it by performing the camphor aarti. The rain that poured when
the timber reached Ādhāraśila at Sannidhānam through the northern path, can be considered as sudhikalasam.
The presence of the Krishna falcon(Krishnaparunthu), who had accompanied the wood from Pampa until the wood was lowered at the northeast corner of Sannidhānam, was
like a miracle. The next day, on the 23rd the work of fixing the wood on Ādhāraśila will be done.
Kottayam Neelimangalam T.D. Prabhan is an experienced one, who has done the installation work of wood in many temples. First, they set up the karyāv ( pillar for raising the wood). The flagpole was raised by a belt with the help of a chain block. The seventh and eighth marked places of the wood were tied with a thick rope and it was balanced, lifted, and brought to the marked point on the Ādhāraśila where it had to be lowered. While balancing, the Tantri who noticed a Krishna hawk hovering overhead, told to install it since there was nothing to doubt anymore. Thus the flagpole of the Lord was erected on the foundation stone. Then the Charu stones were lowered one by one to support the tree. At this time the offerings of the devotees such as gold, silver, and currencies were filled into eight Kumbha (converted into coins worthy of currency) and these were
placed into the four corners and then reinforced the upper part up to a sufficient height using bricks, sand, and cement.
This was followed by the construction of the Pancha Vargathara consisting of Padma Paaduka, Pādukam, Jagathy, Kumudam, Galam, and Kapōtham. In the coming days, Sri Sadasivan Āchāri, Chief Sculptor Sri Ananthan Āchāri, and his colleagues completed a Mandapam for placing bells on
either side of the Pathinettāmpadi, the Nāgathara in the Mālikappuram complex, dedicated idols, the floor and idols of the hill deities, the Mani-Mandapam for placing the bells
at Mālikappuram, Panchavargathara of Deepasthambham, and Deepasthambham. Advocate A.S.P Kurup Sir and Chithran Thirumeni looked and saw everything.
The moment arrived when the Vājivāhana, which had been plastered with gold at Pampa, had to be brought to the Bhagwat Nada. The moment when thousands of people
waited to see the procession following the rituals at Pampa. Unexpectedly, on the instructions of my father, I was chosen to carry the Lord’s vehicle on my head to Sabarimala just like Lord’s choice.
I consider the golden moment to untie the Vājivāhana in
front of Lord Ayyappa and now the moment to carry the same Vājivāhana on my head to Lord’s Nada (shrine) as an innate virtue. As the vibrations of the Śarana mantras rang out in the circle of thousands in Sannidhānam, Lord’s Vāhana was brought to the Pathinettāmpadi for the Lord to have a look at it. Showed Vājivāhana to the Lord and reached the Sannidhānam on the north-eastern steps and bowed before the Lord. Circumambulated Naga gods and Vigneshwara, prayed for support, and forgiveness for all mistakes in front of Lord Ayyappa. After that, I received the blessings of my father, Parumala Sri P.P Ananthan Āchāri, Sri Sadasivan Āchāri, Gurunathan Vezhapparambal, colleagues, and thousands of people and handed over the Vājivāhana to my father, chief sculptor by thanking Lord Ayyappa and Panayannārkāvil Amma for this fortune. At the auspicious moment when the Śarana mantras of thousands spread, he received the idol (Vaji vehicle) and offered it to the Padma Peetha, which was set up as per the instructions of the patriarchal Tantri of the Lord, and bowed it. Thus, there are only two days left for that propitious day. Everything needed for the finished gold-plated flagpole at Pampa was brought to Sannidhānam.
Owners of the Phoenix Group in Andhra Pradesh Suresh Chukkapalli and Ramesh Chukkapalli, and their family
members and friends, who came forward to build the flagpole without expressing any difficulties, warmly welcomed the Lord and the devotees of the Lord with a smile on their face had already arrived to witness this glorious deed. They were the ones who brought the Paras (ornament of the flagpole) with devotion, like carrying Irumudikettu from the Nadapanthal to Sannidhānam. Just as the anointing water was poured on the foundation stone and wood, it rained on the organs of the Lord’s flagpole just like sprinkling sacred water to purify it. Then came the final scrutiny. Though they were sure about the accuracy of such a long task, the chief sculptor and the colleagues worked together to examine every piece of Para and its decorations, to check that in the workshop or on the way to the Sannidhānam, any slightest scratch was made. After checking several times and making
sure that there was not even the slightest damage, when the chief architect was fully convinced, started fixing the Paras on the flagpole after the Athāzhapooja. When the installation of the last Para was finished, everyone was overjoyed.
The next day, June 24, 2017. The expected auspicious time for receiving the flagpole has arrived in front of thousands of devotees who chanted Śarana Mantras, the Tantri, Dēvaswom Board officials, High Court Commissioner, Dēvaswom President, temple staff, and police, who had been waiting.
The sculptor formally touched on the Vēdika of the flagpole with his weapon after preparing the Ganapathi offerings, preparing a silver lamp with ghee wick, remembering the ancestors, the Paradēvatha, and the idols of worship. “Have you completed the assigned task? Is the flagpole ready for consecration?” Tantri asked Shilpi. “Yes Thirumeni, the whole work is completed, ready for the consecration,” replied the sculptor. The owner (Dēvaswom Board) took over the flagpole, giving Dakshina and clothes to the sculptor. The owner handled it over to Tantri. Dedication of the flagpole on Punartham Nakshathra day on June 25, 2017 (1192 Gemini 11) between 11.50 am and 1.40 pm in Kannirashi. The determined dedication moment has arrived. Śabarimala was brimming with the Śarana Mantras of the devotees. There were many dignitaries among the devotees who came to see the deity.
Tantri Brahmasree Kantararu Rajeevararu, his son Sri Brahmadathan and Mēlsānthi Unnikrishnan Namboothiri have started the Tāntric rituals. Sri S Narayanan Namboothiri (E.M.S), Sri Anil Krishnan Namboothiri, Sri Vinod V Namboothiri, and Sri Pradesh Bhattathiri were the Parikarmis (Assistants). When Tantri Brahmasree Kantararu Rajeevararu and his son Sri Brahmadathan completed the dedication of Vājivāhana on the flagpole, a Krishna hawk was flying in a circle in the sky. A rain of blessings was showered at
Sannidhānam
Festive days are the moments when the Deva Chaitanya reaches its zenith. The first flag hoisting ceremony on the new Golden Flagpole at Śabarimala on June 28, 2017, marked the commencement of the festival. The bhogi becomes a yogi when he raises the Kundalini power, energy of the whole universe, which lies dormant in the form of a serpent in the Moolādhara chakra, transcends through Ida Nadi, and enters the Sahasrara Chakra after breaking the
five chakras- Svadhisthana, Manipurakam, Anāhatam, Visuddhi, and Ajna. A yogi cannot lead a worldly life. One can lead a worldly life only if this Kundalini power is transmitted back from the Sahasrara Padma to the Moolādhara Chakra through the Pingala Nadi. The flag-hoisting and the flag descending ceremonies of the temple are the symbolic representation of both these conditions of the human body. My father Parumala Sri P.P Ananthan Āchāri, the Chief Sculptor, confessing his mistakes offered the first flag for the first flag-hoisting on the new golden flagpole offered by the Phoenix Group owners at Sabarimala, and Sri Soman Pillaichettan, a member of the Sakthikulangara Dharmaśāstā Temple Advisory Committee, offered the kodikkayar (rope). The new flagpole of the Lord is the prosperity at the Bhagwat Nada where the flagpole and the Vājivāhana have not been seen for a few months. The Thankadhwaja of the Lord Ayyappa is the pleasure of many people’s dedications of many days. I pray to the Lord with all my heart that this golden flagpole carrying the Vajivahana be hoisted with the flag in front of the Lord for a thousand years as long as the Lord desires to see it.
The Chukkapalli family and the Phoenix Group were the names that came to mind when I started writing these notes in connection with the Śabarimala golden flag pole. The Travancore Devaswom Board and those who took part in the Śabarimala Golden Flagstaff work will forever remain grateful for their reverence and contribution.
Lord Ayyappa chose the Phoenix Group founders Sri Suresh Chukkapalli and Sri Ramesh Chukkapalli, of the Chukkapalli family from Hyderabad, to reinstall the golden flagpole which we see today in the Lord’s courtyard at Śabarimala where Śree Dharmaśāstā resides.
Sri Suresh Chukkapalli Sri Ramesh Chukkapalli
We are grateful for the selfless generosity they have extended towards the reinstallation of Lord Ayappa’s golden flagpole. Apart from this significant contribution, the Phoenix Group constantly endeavours to help society and bring about a change by understanding several activities for the social and cultural needs of the community.
One such social initiative by the Phoenix Group is the Vaikunta Mahaprasthanam, a modern crematorium which has won several accolades and appreciation from the community.
Mahaprasthanam literally means “the great departure”. As per Hindu philosophy, death is a journey in search of perfection and eventual moksha, of which Antyeshti in the prescribed rituals, the funeral ritual which is the final stage of life. According to the principles of Bhagavad Gita i.e shodasha samskara, one’s life’s purpose is fulfilled through 16 phases.
Taking this world as a tree, the seed of this tree is tamas; the idea of the self as the body is the sprout of that tree; attachment is that twig and actions the water; the prānas (body) the trunk; the different senses are the different branches; the objects of senses are the flowers; pain is the fruit, and the human soul is the bird that lives on this tree and eats the fruits of various sufferings from different kinds of actions. Ignorance is the root of this bondage - natural but beginningless and endless. Neither by weapons, by any scripture, by fire nor by water, can this tree be hewn down. Only the great sword of discrimination can cut down this
Māyā, and that sword should be whetted by the grace of the Lord. The soul has no birth or death. The soul is one that has no beginning and no end. When one sees his own Self in samādhi, which is the Self of all, then all the notes of the heart are rent asunder once and for all. Having learned about the Vaikunta Mahaprasthanam movement, I felt it appropriate to record this message from the Bhagavad Gita and Vivekachudamani here.
The Phoenix Group envisioned a Polylithic placemaking for the cemetery, based on the above-mentioned principle in Bhagavad Gita. Each pavilion is isolated, taking each fragment of architecture individually and purposefully. Pavilions embrace to console the loved ones, Waiting-halls silently bow in honor, and Pyres open up to liberate the lost in a farewell.
Over the years, the Phoenix Group has undertaken a number of initiatives impacting the environment, health, education and cultural enhancement.
Phoenix Arena is a cultural landmark in Hyderabad and a centre for the Performing Arts, which was built to encourage and safeguard India’s rich treasures - Heritage of Music, Dance, Theatre, Film, Literature, and Photography.
The Foundation also conducts Cancer screening camps in association with the Cure Foundation of Apollo Cancer Hospital, Hyderabad and supports the surgeries as may be needed for those below poverty line. And along with Hrudaya Foundation and Pure Little Hearts Foundation of Rainbow Hospitals, Hyderabad it conducts camps to screen, identify and provide modern medical care to poor children with congenital and acquired heart diseases who are below 12 years.
It is unforgettable that they constructed taps for public water supply on public roads through a free water camp in Hyderabad and provided drinking water to help the people during the severe drought of 2015.
Phoenix Foundation set up a forest reserve on a 100-acre land in Chilkur. The initiative is in support of the Telangana Haritha Haram Project. More than 25,000 bio-diverse trees have been planted so far creating a natural carbon sink that will reinvigorate the local wildlife.
The Foundation also has contributed to the establishment of a care facility for the elderly in Khammam, Andhra Pradesh. As part of their other health initiatives, it has organized several blood and organ donation camps leading to the saving of many lives. And during the peak of the recent pandemic, it contributed by putting together a emergency ward at the Gandhi Hospital, Hyderabad.
Phoenix Foundation has also taken up the novel initiative of cleaning up the Medikunta Lake in Hyderabad’s Financial District, as a commitment to keeping the environment safe and sound.
Phoenix Group has built a Hospice for Sparsh Hospital and Rotary Club of Banjara Hills, Hyderabad. Known as Sparsh Hospice, this is a centre for palliative care for terminally ill cancer patients and it aims to alleviate suffering and improve the quality of life of those for whom ‘treatment to cure,’ is no longer an effective approach.
Sparsh Hospice, Hyderabad
This 60,000 sq ft, facility can provide care for 82 patients, and also houses an amphitheatre, a dining hall, library, physiotherapy room, an auditorium and a well landscaped garden.
Phoenix Foundation is also building a 250-bedded facility in Hyderabad for Sankara Eye Foundation. This Eye Hospital will undertake 25000 eye operations every year, 80% of which would be for the marginalised section of the society.
In the year 2003, Sri Suresh Chukkapalli established the Chukkapalli Sankara Rao Trust in the name of his father Sri Sankara Rao in order to cultivate the ‘Culture of Giving’ in the society. Chukkapalli Sankararao Education Trust in collaboration with Delhi Public School (DPS) in Amaravati has been undertaking the task of molding our students into the 21st century. During the floods, the company provided a lot of services across India which has led to the approval of the state government.
While the vision of Phoenix Group is to be a pioneer in the infrastructure and construction sectors, set new benchmarks, and make Phoenix a name that the world can instantly affiliate with as a company proficient in executing any major project with professional ease and prowess, it is driven by one core belief - of giving back to the society.
Sri Suresh Chukkapalli is the Founder Chairman of the Phoenix Group and currently Chairman Emeritus. He has spearheaded the expansive growth that Phoenix Group is at the forefront of today. He also serves as the Consul General for the Honorary Consulate to the Republic of Korea in Hyderabad among other notable engagements across the country. All of Phoenix Foundation’s initiatives are closely supported by the Phoenix Group and it’s important that I mention the name of Mr. Gopikrishna Patibanda the Chairman & Managing Director of the Group who is also an ardent devotee of Lord Ayyappa. From being a solution provider to his stakeholders to being a great motivator to his team, Mr. Patibanda establishes his work ethic through selfimplementation and has always been a keen supporter of all CSR initiatives undertaken under the aegis of Phoenix Foundation by Sri Suresh Chukkapalli.
Years after the dedication of the Śabarimala flagpole, I happened to have visited Sri Suresh Chukkapalli at his office of the Honorary Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Hyderabad. He exuded compassion, simplicity and the same magnanimity and humility that was demonstrated during the installation of the golden flagpole
I sincerely pray that Sri Suresh Chukkapalli, his family, and the Phoenix Group may always have the merciful blessings of the Lord and also express my sincere gratitude on this occasion.
The only thing on my mind while writing this book was to write the history of the Śabarimala flagpole.
But, in between some thoughts that arose in my mind led to the mentioning of Mani-Mandapam, Dharmaśāstā, and Āryan Kēralan. By the time I finished writing things up to the dedication of the flagpole, there was a suspicion that something was missing, which forced me to write about the Phoenix group. The golden flagpole in front of Lord Ayyappa is the fruit and fortune of the self-dedication of the Vishwakarmajas including me. Although it was God who allowed us to work on that flagpole, the wages for the work we did came from the Phoenix Group, which was responsible for the construction expenses of the flagpole. The realization that this book would be incomplete without expressing that gratitude through words, led to introducing the Phoenix Group to the readers and devotees.
When my mind was satisfied with writing this, one more thought came to my mind again. The caste in which all the workers who did this work, including me, was born.
We did our family (caste) profession. The golden flagpole at Śabarimala was completed by those who come under the term Vishwakarmajas i.e. Āshāri, Karuvan (kollan), Shilpi (sculptor), and Thattan(goldsmith).
Our ancestor was Vishwakarma who is the Devashilpi (Divine Architect). Dēvalōka, Hastinapuri, and Indrapuri were built by him of sculptural beauty and were attractive to others. His successors created brilliant deeds in worldly constructions with the quality of Vishwakarma inherent in their blood. All his successors with their Guruthwagunam (devotion to Guru) inherent in their blood, created brilliant deeds in universal creations.
At this moment I feel to raise a question about how many Vishwakarmajas are ready to understand and be proud of the tradition from the time of the Vēdas to this 21st Century in which we live today.
While some like me take pride in things that have to be engraved with passing gold letters, many more look at the future with concern. While acknowledging that at least a few members of the Vishwakarma community have come a long way, both academically and professionally, the majority remain unaware of the darkness and light in the face of modernization and globalization. Descendants of the great sculptors who built magnificent temples and palaces, stand panicked in front of time. The vast majority of people are forced to detach from Brahmanism and Poonulu (sacred thread) and work for wages.
In Kērala, there are no spiritual gurus or historical figures in their community to guide them. Although all the palaces and temples built centuries ago were the work of Vishwakarma sculptors, no Vishwakarmajas today dares to say that it was their ancestral work, because none of the Vishwakarmajas could keep any historical relics for it. They didn’t even know the language to inscribe the knowledge of architecture, metallurgy, and sculptural skills that were imparted orally. Because of this ignorance, this knowledge, which was written on palm leaf using narayam( traditional pen/metal stylus) was resting for a long time in the Machakams where they were stored. The crooked people have started using the Vishwakarmajas caste profession by formulating new rules for the Shilpa Shastra using the computers and devising new annotations for it. Today most of the Vishwakarmajars are destined to work as mere mercenaries, obeying the rules they claim. It is time to fear that the great universal art heritage that has been going on since the time of the Vēdas will turn into ashes because even those who are continuing with it are looking for another way of earning a living. It feels like those who once made creations duly with Vishwakarmajars are now keeping the Vishwakarmajars work heritage for sale in the Heritage markets. We are the ones who pretend not to see it even after seeing it.
Today, if we were able to do the sculptural and carpentry work at Śabarimala or other temples as a last-ditch bounty, then a hundred years from now, the ones doing our heritage work will be the generations of those who made us do the
works. Even while raising these concerns I thank God for being blessed to be born in this Vishwabrahmana caste and also for the opportunity to be part of the construction of the golden flagpole of Śabarimala. I conclude by inviting all comments and criticisms about this book.
India is a country that has amazed the world for thousands of years with its spiritual and physical knowledge. All branches of science grew and developed here. But out of some ignorance, the historians here out of selfish interest have noted and taught us that there was nothing in India and that the Indians were old savages. History was deliberately rewritten and disseminated. The best example of this is the history and stories of Sabarimala Ayyappan. At the time when there were people to tell the exact stories, false stories were spread without consulting them. It has become imperative to know and spread the features and history of India without thinking about it in the past.
Certain rules must be followed strictly while writing the history of a temple. Exact legends and stories of experience, the uniqueness of the construction of the temple, its scientific facts, the purity of language, the rituals of the temple, all combine together to give the reader an experience of visiting the temple. The book about the Śabarimala temple written by Parumala Anu Ananthan, whom I love as a brother, is very well done. I believe that reading this book will change the misleading stories that devotees have had so far about Ayyappan.
Apart from this, it is worth mentioning that the existing flagpole at the Śabarimala temple was in a dilapidated condition and it was decided to replace it with a new one. By the grace of Lord Ayyappa, I was fortunate enough to compile figures for the new flagpole. When the inquiry was conducted to find out the details of the existing flagpole, no information about it was even received from the Dēvaswom Board.
It was not even known whether it was stone or wood inside the Para. When measured after Dhwaja-udwasanam (Expulsion process of Dhwaja), no exact figures were obtained. That should not be the case anymore. In a conversation, Anu was told that there must be a way to keep authentic records of the construction of the new flagpole. Accordingly, the measurements of the new flagpole, the names of those who made the designs, construction methods, etc., are all authentically included in this book. So this knowledge will last for many years to come.
Investigative people should come forward for such initiatives. I pray that Lord Ayyappa shall provide all prosperity for Anu Ananthan and his family who worked tirelessly for this.
The temples are a treasure trove of Indian culture and heritage. In them, the life, culture, and tradition of a people are intertwined. The principle is that “the temple eliminates destructionˮ. In the Srimad Bhagavadgita, there is a great piece of advice given by Lord Krishna to Arjuna. “Oh Arjuna, our body where the Jeevathma resides is a temple. Like that, the temple is where Parmathma resides. Then we can say that Kshetra Darshan is an activity by which the temple where Jeevātma resides goes to the temple where Paramātma resides.ˮ
A temple is a holy place where the wounds and pains of the mind are healed. Temples in India have been built as powerful energy centers. The idols in these temples are made of stone, wood, or panchaloha. But these idols are not just a stone or a statue, they are scientifically created powerful energy centers. Foreigners say that Indians are people who worship stones. It’s true that the Indians were able to see God in stone, pillars, rust, birds, animals, and plants. Here man sees God in his own shape and form. He is building his own image. That is, if the body is imagined as a temple, then life (Jeevan) is the god of that temple. The divine spirit in the temples is just as life resides in the body. The primary purpose of temple worship is to awaken the divine spirit that dwells in everyone.
The temples dedicated to the deity, built in the most suitable place scientifically are the lifeblood of a village. The temples were built by the ancestors for the spiritual upliftment of the common people who were unable to perform other worships. The rituals that exist in the temples are based on faith. Each temple has different rituals. Pallivetta in the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple is associated with the royal rule. The famous Madurai Meenakshi Temple is associated with the Pandya dynasty and the historical rituals of Sabarimala are associated with the Pandalam royal family. Prayer is one of the most important rituals in daily life. In Rig Veda, it is said in the mantra “Eeyushtēyē poorvatha rāmapaśyan vyuchhantheemushasam marthyāsaha’’ that he who wakes up before sunrise, bathes, and prays to God is a person with morality. All his activities are dedicated to God. We have to visit the temple only with Pancha Shuddhi. Pancha Shuddhi is the purity of our body, mind, words, deeds, and food. When this Pancha Shuddhi occurs, there will be a situation where the mind will always be filled with the thoughts of God without visiting the temple. There is no doubt that temple visits stimulate our five senses. The melodious sounds of mantras and percussions give a spiritual feel to the human mind. The temple atmosphere attracts the concentrated mind to the idol enshrined there. The ceremonial festivals and celebrations in the temples are all soothing to the human mind and create a sense of unity among the villagers. Seeing the Temple which is the symbol of God, the idol inside the shrine, and lamps (deepam) helps our eyes, the aroma of sandal, agarbathi, and camphor helps our nose, prasada, theertham, and chanting helps our tongue, the sounds of conches, bells and mantras helps our ears and also applying sandal, ashes, and theertham on forehead and head helps our skin, thus
helps to purify the senses by temporarily removing them from worldly matters and helps one to merge with the God.
We know that the month of Karkitaka booms with Ramayana recitation while the month of Vrishchikam booms with śarana mantras. Then we have the opportunity to achieve external and internal purity through fasting. Temple visits and pradakshinam help one to move towards the truth through devotional practices when emotions arise in the mind.
Pradakshinam is an important ritual performed during a temple visit. The word pradakshinam literally means to the right. One should do the pradakshina by walking barefoot outside the Balikalu (sacrificial stone) and by meditating on the deity in the temple. The Vedas say that the circumambulating person should circumambulate in such a way that the form of the deity appears on his right side. “Pra” implies removal of fears, “Da” refers to moksha / renunciation, “Kshi” implies curing of all sorts of diseases, “Na” indicates overall prosperity. The Pradakshina is always done in a clockwise direction because God is always at our right side. The Pradakshina begins from the flagpole in a clockwise direction and one cycle of this pradakshina completes on reaching this starting position after circumambulating. Pradakshina reminds us that we should always lead a righteous life on the right path of Dharma. As we circumambulate, we concentrate all our actions and thoughts on a central place, that is, on God. No matter how far we circumambulate, the center never changes. So we realize that God is the center of gravity and the center of our existence. This is also the principle of pradakshina. The Pradakshina should be done slowly and patiently. It can be done in odd numbers- 3,9,11,21, etc as per the devotee’s wish. On completing the desired number of pradakshina, the
devotee should prostrate before the main shrine on the right side of the flagpole. It symbolizes total surrendering to the Almighty God. The belief is that God’s grace or positive energy radiating from him in all directions rejuvenates the mind of devotees. Pradakshina with chanting Om Namasivaya or Narayana Mantras with dedication and devotion purifies our mind and soul. Scientifically, walking barefoot on the unpolished rough floor of the temple enhances blood circulation to a considerable degree. Reciting mantras is a kind of meditation that can calm our minds. Circumambulating around a big temple is a kind of aerobic exercise that is good for the heart. Thus there is no doubt that temple visits and pradakshina give spiritual and healthy upliftment.
Man is far away from the ideal thought. Devotional rituals and practices can purify our minds. Each person attains peace through prayerful practices. Peace of mind creates a sense of purpose in life. The righteous way of life is the path given by a man to nature to create for himself the way to establish family security, an orderly way of life, and a strong connection between the individual and society. The Mahabharata states that through this man can attain health, prosperity, and fame and therefore man should perform rituals.
Through the Sabarimala Temple visit with Śarana mantras in the mist, we are able to purify our minds and lead our life to its abode of bliss through the fasting rituals of a mandala period (41 days), the life which is immersed in the pleasures and sorrows. Those who can see the rituals and fasting rituals in any temple, not just in Sabarimala, with its pure imagination are blessed. That goodness leads one to the sublime level of “Tatvamasi” which ascends to the transcendental Advaya Bhava. The temple visits or
pilgrimages that we perform only fulfill its purpose when we keep the mental impurities away, by fasting and practices. Or they may just be external trips as usual. Pilgrimages are inner journeys that take one away from the crowds and find enjoyment in one’s inner solitude. This pilgrimage called Temple concept is dedicated at the feet of Sri Ayyappa.
Manju Ajikumar was born on February 2, 1979, as the daughter of Vadakkemadathil Late Sri Narayana Pillai from Orippuram, Chennithala and Kaimalethu Hymavathi Amma from Kuttemperoor, Mannar. The Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita and Puranas are of great interest as she grew up listening to the stories of Ramayana and Mahabharata taught by her grandmother from an early age. After schooling, she earned a Diploma in Electronics Engineering and B.Ed in Hindi Literature and her favorite subjects are Mathematics and English. She worked as a teacher in Muscat for a short period. Her first translation work is the translation of the book ‘Manimandapam & Thankadhwajam’ written by Parumala Sri Anu Ananthan. She also wrote about the temple concept in this book. She has also done an English translation of the documentary ‘Shabareeshante Dhvajasthambham’, directed and scripted by Sri Anu Ananthan. She is married to Ajikumar Sivarama Pillai from Chunakkara, Mavelikkara. They have three daughters Anakha, Akshaya and Adithya. Her youngest daughter Aditya Ajikumar participates in Bhagavad Gita talks on Shreshtha Bharat program on Amrita TV. Her only sibling Vishnupriya is married to Binu Gopinath and has a daughter, Anvi.
Address: Villwadri
Chunakkara North P.O, Mavelikkara Alappuzha,Kerala.
PIN: 690534
Ph: 9495279286
Email: ajivillwadri@gmail.com
The length of the flagpole without the Nalam is 14 Kol 2 angulam.This is the Padàyoni of 56 Kol circumference. That is 14-2-0:4 = 56 Kol 8 angulam Dwajayoni.
The advantages of 56 Kol 8 angulam.
1 - Dhwaja Yoni 2 - Chilavu 1 3 - Varavu 6-16 4 - Nakshtram Moolam (Moolam Nakshtram denotes friend) 5 - Balya Vayassu 6 - Prathipadm 7 - Karanam. - Simham 8 - Azhcha - Chovva (Day- Tuesday)
Calculation Good (Kanakku Uthamam) Number of Paras - 15 Aiswaryangal - 8 Aiswarya vardhanangal - 7
Name of Paras 1 - Añima 2 - Mahima 3 - Garima 4 - Lakhima 5 - Prapthi 6 - Prakamyam 7 - Ishithvam 8 - Vasithvam
9 -
10 - Samam
11 - Damam 12 - Suchitvam 13 - Daya 14 - Mriduvakku 15 - Ishtanmare drohikkaruthu
Each Para represents the above mentioned. Thus the vehicle, Vajivahana is enshrined in the Dhwaja that has everything mentioned above.
This is the symbol - When the Gopuram is closed, a devotee passing in front of the temple can understand what the deity is at the shrine by seeing the vehicle on the flagpole. That is why the ancestors advised that if you could not go inside the temple you should just look at the dhwaja with folded hands.
Needless to say, the importance of the 15 Paras in the Golden flagpole at Sabarimala is the best of the best since it evolved from all these positive thoughts.
SKETCH AND PLAN OF NEW FLAG POST AT SABARIMALA SREE DHARMA SASTHA TEMPLE
SKETCH AND PLAN OF NEW FLAG POST AT SABARIMALA SREE DHARMA SASTHA TEMPLE
Loka-veeram Mahaa Poojyam Sarva Rakshaakaram vibhum Parvathi hridayaanandam Shaasthaaram pranamaamyaham Swamiyae saranam Ayyappa!
Harivarasanam visva mohanam haridha deeswarm marathya badhugam arivimarthanam nithya narthanam hariharathmajam deva machraye! – 4
Saranam ayyappa! Swami saranam ayyappa! Saranam ayyappa! Swami saranam ayyappa!
Sharana keerthanam saktha manasam paranalolubam narthanalayam aruna paasuram bootha nayagam hariharathmajam deva machraye! – 8
Saranam ayyappa! Swami saranam ayyappa! Saranam ayyappa! Swami saranam ayyappa!
Pranaya sathyaka prana nayagam pranatha kalpagam soopra panjitham pranava manthiram keerthana priyam hariharathmajam deva machraye! – 12
Saranam ayyappa! Swami saranam ayyappa! Saranam ayyappa! Swami saranam ayyappa!
Thuraka vahanam sundarananam varaha dayutham deva varnitham kruchrupakaram keerthanapriyam hariharathmajam deva machraye! – 16
Saranam ayyappa! Swami saranam ayyappa! Saranam ayyappa! Swami saranam ayyappa!
Thri buvanarchidam devathathmagam thrinayanam prabum divya desikam thrithasa boojitham sindhithapratham hariharathmajam deva machraye! – 20
Saranam ayyappa! Swami saranam ayyappa! Saranam ayyappa! Swami saranam ayyappa!
Bava baya bagam bavukavaham buvana mohanam boothi poosanam thavala vahanam divya vahanam hariharathmajam deva machraye! – 24
Saranam ayyappa! Swami saranam ayyappa! Saranam ayyappa! Swami saranam ayyappa!
Kalamruthu smitham sundarananam kalaba komalam kathra mohanam kalaba kesari vaaji vahanam hariharathmajam deva machraye! – 28
Saranam ayyappa! Swami saranam ayyappa! Saranam ayyappa! Swami saranam ayyappa!
Sritha janapriyam sundhithapratham sruthi vibusanam sathu jeevanam sruthi manoharam geethalalasam hariharathmajam deva machraye! – 32
Saranam ayyappa! Swami saranam ayyappa! Saranam ayyappa! Swami saranam ayyappa!
kambām sūthrām bu pāthram vahathi karathalē pushtakam jnānasūthram hamsārūdahasthri nētraha suramakudam śirāha sarvatōvridha kāyaha trilōkyam yēna śrishtam sakala sura griham rājaharmyādi harmyam dēvoulasou sūthradharō jagadakhilah hitha pātuvou Vishwakarma
