Swami Saranam: Spiritual Journey Through The Deep Woods

How long do we have to walk through the forest? Father, are there any wild animals in it?” As eight-year-old Akshaya began her journey to Sabarimala from Kalaketti near Erumeli, she was full of doubts.

I had the same thoughts as well while reaching the Azhuthakadavu (Pampa Valley), from where the pilgrims begin their barefoot journey through the forest.

It was her maiden trip along this 26km traditional route through the dense Periyar Tiger Reserve forest in Pathanamthitta district to the abode of Lord Ayyappa.

Akshaya, the young Malikappuram , (While men are addressed as ‘Swamis’, women devotees are called as ‘Malikppurams’) was one among a group from Kattakada in Thiruvananthapuram. Like them, thousands of Ayyappa devotees, from across the country opt to take this traditional route for their annual pilgrimage to the hill shrine.

Clad in dark blue or saffron dhotis and kurtas, and holding the Irumudikkettu , they started climbing the first hill known as the Azhuthakayattam around 9 am. I also joined them.

It’s a strenuous journey through the rocky terrain. The tract is so steep that sometimes one would have to stoop so low to keep balance that the head would almost touch the knee as if in penance. Heaving long sighs every now and then, the pilgrims inched forward.

At first, Akshaya appeared quite energetic and was moving at a good pace along the steep rocky terrain, holding her father Prasanth’s hand. For them, the pilgrimage was part of an offering to Lord Ayyappa.

“Akshaya had some heart problems soon after she was born. Doctors said we had to go for an operation if the problem persisted. At that time, we prayed to Lord Ayyappa that Akshaya would be brought to Sabarimala thrice if she were cured of her illness. Fortunately, there was no need for an operation,” Prasanth said.

Meanwhile, Akshaya starts showing signs of discomfort. “We can sit here, father,” she said. Soon, one of her uncles began narrating the story of the fight between Lord Ayyappa and Mahishi.

 As they slowed down their pace a bit, I joined a three-member group from Palakkad. Over the past decade, Abhilash and Ajith have been visiting Sabarimala through this forest route. Anurenj joined them this year. Each was carrying a stone.

“While taking bath in Azhutha, each devotee takes the first stone that touches his hand. Later, the stone will be thrown in Kallidamkunnu, a place at the summit of the Azhuthakayattam. It is said that Lord Ayyappa had buried the body of Mahishi at that place after defeating her.

The stone is deposited over there to commemorate the victory. Another belief is that each pilgrim gets a stone as large as the amount of sins they committed. Once they throw this stone at Kallidamkunnu, pilgrims will be freed from the sins,” said Ajith, an asthma patient. His was the smallest stone.

“Swami padam, Swami padam,” somebody behind me sounded. At first, I was confused. Then, Abhilash told me that he was asking for way, a unique form of communication during pilgrimage. That swami was holding a long bamboo stick fixed with 37 sanctified silver pieces.

“This shows the number of times I have visited Sabarimala,” said Vasudevan. He was once touched by a miracle.

“Our only sister Retnamma had speech problems. In 1970, we brought her to Sabarimala. As soon as she completed climbing the Pathinettampadi (18-holy steps), she called ‘Swamiye’. After that I regularly visit Sabarimala,” said Vasudevan, a police head constable.

 “Vasudevan is popularly known as police swami in Pambadi,” said Shan, a youth from Ranni and an employee with the Social Welfare Board.

This is the sixth time that Shan is travelling through the route. “The pilgrimage will become complete only if we travel through this route. There is silence everywhere and it offers a day of total devotion,” he said.

After one and a half hours of arduous journey, we reached Kallidamkunnu. It’s a small hill of rounded stones. While watching the pilgrims depositing stones, I had some lemon soda from a wayside stall.

Every season, the Sabarimala Ayyappa Poonkavana Punarudharana Eco Development Committee (SAPP EDC) sets up pilgrim service centres along the forest route.

 Apart from light refreshments, they offer space to put the Viri (mat) . There are around 200 EDC stalls along the Azhutha–Pampa stretch.

“One steep hill is over. Now, it’s a few kms of even land,” Shan said. On the way, all the devotees visit the Sastha Temple at the Injipparakotta, which is managed by the Mala Araya tribes.

“The deity here is warrior Ayyappa with bows and arrows. Villan, a member of the Mala Araya tribe, offered help to Ayyappa in his mission to collect the milk of a tigress and later Villan became a friend of Ayyappa.”

As we came out of the temple office, the young Malikappuram Akshaya was seen carried on her uncle’s shoulders. Perhaps, her uncle had run out of stories.

Our next destination is Mukkuzhi and we decided to have our lunch there. By noon, it had started raining. But the pilgrims continue to walk after covering the Irumudikettu with plastic.



At 2 pm we stopped at the Puthussery Thavalam for lunch. From the EDC stall, we had Kappa-Kanji (tapioca and boiled rice). All the provisions required for the stalls are brought as headloads through the same undulating forest route.

 “To bring one kg of provision, we have to pay Rs 10. At a time, a worker carries around 30-kg provision. Apart from that, we have to give them food as well,” said Chacko, the convenor of the Puthusserry EDC.

“The major challenge of the journey awaits ahead, the Karimala,” Shan said. After some small talk with the forest officials in Puthussery, we set out to climb the Karimala. It was a steep hill. Most of the pilgrims used a stick for a support. Loud chants of ‘Sarana Ayyappa’ reverberated in the verdant forest tracts.

The intermittent rains had made the surface very slippery. But, the thick roots of the mighty trees, snaking above the ground, offered a firm grip to the devotees. We walked for five minutes and took rest for two. The heart gets worked up every five minutes. It turned difficult for Ajith to keep up. We waited for him.

Minutes later, I joined Karimala section Forester Aliyar on his daily patrol in the area. I was struggling to keep up with Aliyar. I was quite surprised to see an old woman climbing the Karimala.

After two hours, we reached the summit of Karimala. The Akhila Bharatha Ayyappa Seva Sanghom volunteers, the only organisation that offers free food to devotees on the forest route, invited us for tea.


Soon, we started climbing down Karimala. Aliyar left at the limits of his section. The journey was slow as the rain had made the sloppy terrain very slippery.

A minor slip could leave a person with several fractures. There was also a chance that one would land deep into the forest. It was getting darker and the mist was getting thicker.

As every step became harder, I could hear the unclear but not too distant sounds of the bustle in Pampa. By then, I had been walking for around one and a half hours from Karimala. The sounds whispered, ‘you are almost there. It is just a few steps ahead.’ Through the thick leaves could be seen the glint of Pampa.

Brooding for a while about the little Malikappuram, Akshaya who had by then been left behind by my older and nimble feet. I immersed myself in the sea of devotees in Pampa, who were in for another four kilometres journey to the holy shrine of Lord Ayyappa.


THROUGH THE PULMEDU ROUTE

The Kozhikkanam-Uppupara-Pulmedu route, approximately 7 km through the Periyar Tiger Reserve Forest, is most convenient for pilgrims crossing the state border at Kumily. Instead of travelling to Pampa via Erumeli, pilgrims can directly reach Sabarimala through this route.

From Kumily, it takes only three hours to reach Uppupara from where the pilgrims start their barefoot journey to Sabarimala. Pilgrims can reach the holy shrine in two hours from there. The journey via Erumeli takes double the time to reach Pampa. Then, pilgrims face another 4 km stretch. The Pulmedu path joins the Sannidhanam premises near the Uralkuzhi Theertham. KSRTC operates chain services to Uppupara from Kumily during the pilgrim season. There are regular jeep services from Uppupara to Kumily. The journey through the stretch is regulated as movement of elephant herds is common. Travel is permitted from 6 am to 6 pm.

THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS SUNDAY MAGAZINE 2010