Your Friendly Philosopher & Guide

This year my trip to Sabarimala was awesome. It was specifically good for 2 reasons. One - because this was the first time I went to see Makara Jothi, and secondly 2 new guys with excellent sense of humour had joined our group. The secret of happyness was understood the best during this pilgrimage. Walking barefooted on those mountains with 3-4 kgs of Irumudi on head, some 10 kgs on the back bag, sitting under scorching sun, with little water to drink, no proper food to eat, and no enough place to sleep – we still had smiles on our faces, and laughter with every joke cracked. This was the best example to prove that – happiness doesn’t depend on external factors but it is an internal phenomenon!

Just a week before we left there were news that some 23 people died in stampede. The fear was too much for us, but when we reached there the crowd was manageable. People were patient, helpful, and intelligent. Looking at the crowd it was quite obvious that the number 23 was indeed a meager number.

The event goes this way – every year from Pamba, Lord Ayyappa’s jewellery box is taken to the Sanctum Sanctorum through Periyanavattam. At Periyanavattam a special puja is done, and also dance is performed by the bhaktas. When the jewellery box is taken from Periyanavattam to Pamba, a distance of 8 kms or so, 2 bald neck eagles will be spotted in the sky, which is supposed to guard the jewellery box. And it happened!

When the jewellery box was taken from Pamba, and when the puja was performed at Periyanavattam – I spotted 2 eagles beautifully flying in the vast sky, where there were NO signs of OTHER birds or other eagles flying!! Logic was defied. In fact these eagles kept flying till the jewellery box reached the Sanctum Sanctorum, and was seen no more after 6.30 pm.

One of my friends also spotted actor Naseeruddin Shah with the team carrying the jewellery box! Surely a pilgrimage, which breaks religious barriers!

My teammate had told me that the best place to witness the Makara Jothi was Periyanavattam, and to have the best darshan you need to stand in the river for hours together. They were right.

We reserved our place at 2 pm, and stood in the river. At 6.30 pm, when the place was getting darker, there were at least a lakh people already standing in the river. At around 6.35 pm we could spot the lonely star, and it was said just near to that you will see the Makara Jothi. And at around 6.45 pm we could see Makara Jothi flashing 3 times with all its glory! An experience to cherish forever! And seeing is always believing!