Sabarimala — 3rd Year Pilgrimage
This was the 3rd year of Pilgrimage I undertook to Sabarimala. Our travel team, based in T. Nagar, Chennai started the Irumudi Pooja on 18th Sunday and we started in the van around 10 O Clock. We were heading straight to Pampa, unlike the previous weeklong tours. Thanks to the incessant rains for the whole of previous month, the entire Chennai – Trichy (NH45 — National Highway connecting Chennai – Dindigul) has been rendered almost unmotorable and featuring a significant number of potholes.
The following was our tour schedule and trip:
18 Dec 2005
- 22:00 :: With the incessant chants of Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa, the van with the the banner ‘Sri Ranga Travels and Tours’ starts from T. Nagar Siva Vishnu Temple.
19 Dec 2005
- 0600 :: Brief Halt at Sri Rangam for the morning pooja etc.
- 1700 :: We then started from Sri Rangam towards Erumeli via Dindugul, Kumuli route and reached Erumeli about 1700 hours. We were already 3 hours behind schedule to bad road conditions.
- 1800 :: After the Pettai Thullal observation for about half an hour and taking the sacred bath at Erumeli, our van started off to Pampa via Nilakkal route. There was a holy protection from the Lord. The van developed a major technical snag and it could not trek up the hills all of a sudden. Thanks to the continuous chanting of the team and also our conscious and smart driver, it was recovered and reached Pampa at about 2230 hours.
- 2230:: After a brief bath @Pampa, we started to the sanctum sanctorum at about 2300 hours. Yup. While we started, Harivarasanam started to play indicating that the temple is closing for the day. Perhaps, if you visit my personal website during 2300 to 2310, you can hear the Harivarasanam song playing there too. Be sure that you have your Popup Blocker allowed for my website to listen to the audio.
We had one Malikaipuram too in our team and Pampa Police were checking regarding the age proof etc since women between 15 and 50 are expressly prohibited from carrying Irumudi Kattu and climb the sacred Pathinettam Padi.
20 Dec 2005
- 0145:: We climbed the Pathinettam Padi alone deferring the worship of Lord Ayyappa for a second roud after the sanctum sanctorum opens at 0400
- 0400:: Joined the crowd again and worshipped the Lord. Since for me, it was 3rd Year, I had to tie the bell there too. It is a shame that there are many miscreants stealing the bell right at the time of tying the bell itself. I think Travancore Dewaswom Board should something to secure the bell tying place.
- 0530:: All Irumudi’s unpacked and Neyyabhishekam request has been dispatched.
- 0930:: After getting back the Neyyabhishekam prasadam, we started back to Nilakkal, to take our bus for our return journey.
- 1730:: Reached Kutralam and took a holy bath in the Kutralam river.
21 Dec 2005
- 0400:: Reached Palani. Worshipped the Lord Dandayuthi Pani (Lord Muruga) there.
- 1330:: Reached Tiruchirapalli for a good lunch
- 1430:: Worship at Woraiyur Vekkali Temple.
- 1600:: Worship at Samaiyapuram Temple.
22 Dec 2005
- 0130:: Return to Chennai
- 2145:: Blogging this now 🙂 🙂 (And now, since feeling tired, trying to catch some sleep.)
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| Ayyappa,Malaivasan Manikandan December 28, 2006 07:08 AM PST  Swami ahh… Saranam Ayyappa |
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Original BlogDrive Post on Thursday, December 22, 2005
Lavanya Deepak's Travel Journal 