#KeralaFloods: TN devotees end Sabarimala pilgrimage in local Ayyappa temples
With heavy rains and floods making the famous hill shrine of Sabarimala in Kerala out of bounds, several Ayyappa devotees from Tamil Nadu chose to end their pilgrimage at local temples in Chennai and elsewhere in the state. The Sabarimala temple is open for five days every month, beginning with the first day of the Malayalam month, according to devotees.
Devotees climbed steps modeled like those at Sabarimala
TN devotees who planned to visit Sabarimala temple for the "Chingam" monthly pooja season (August 16-21) and Onam (August 23-27), ended their pilgrimage by offering prayers at Chennai's Ayyappan Temple at Raja Annamalaipuram. They climbed the temple's 18-steps, modeled along the lines of those at Sabarimala, with their 'Irumudi,' (a bag of pooja items) and offered prayers, marking the culmination of the pilgrimage.
Only three youths could cross Pamba river: Devotee
Climbing Sabarimala temple's hallowed 18-steps with Irumudi is a key feature of the pilgrimage. Several devotees from other parts of TN completed their pilgrimage by visiting temples in their neighborhood like Karungulam Ayyappa temple near Tuticorin. "Only three youths managed to cross the Pamba river with Nerkathir (paddy), a traditional offering to the Lord Ayyappa at the Sabarimala temple," claimed a devotee VP Radhakrishnan.
