Interesting Miscellaneous Asides From Sabarimala and Surroundings

A batch of 200 pilgrims walked all the way from Hyderabad to Sannidhanam. They belong to 'Okalpol' viilage in Andhra Pradesh. They departed their home village on 3rd November 2008 and reached Sannidhanam on 9th December 2008. Their 37 days journey took them through through Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Kumuli, Vandiperiyar and Uppupara. Total distance traversed was more than 1200 kms. Led by Venugopal Guruswamy, for the last 18 years, they walking to Sannidhanam during the festival season.

Referring to the above, I may inform you that sanction has been accorded to Ayyappa Seva Sangham to conduct free feeding to the pilgrims at Sabarimala in the hall near Malikapuram temple in connection with the Sabarimala festivals in1184 ME.

Necessary instructions have been issued to the Chief Engineer and Executive Officer, Sabarimala to render all assistance to your trust for conducting the Annadhanam to the pilgrims. The committee shall remit the current charge and water charge to the Travancore Devaswom Board.

During every pilgrimage season, there are fatalities mainly due to heart attacks. Generally these heart attacks take place around Neelimala or Appachimedu. It must be remembered that the slopes are steep and that pilgrims tend to climb these slopes in a religious frenzy without taking adequate rest in between. The basic health/cardiac condition of the patient may be suspect and it is quite possible that in cases of marginal fitness, symptoms are aggravated during this sudden stress. Because of this, warning boards are placed en-route advising pilgrims to make frequent `pauses' in their climb en-route to Sannidhanam.

During the Mandala - Makara Vilakku season, Cardiac Care Centres operate at Pampa, Appachimedu and Sannidhanam. Ayyappa Seva Sangham is the main voluntary agency that provides medical aid during these seasons. Other Centres are operated by Apollo Hospitals and SAHAS. However, during the monthly opening days, ABASS is the sole agency providing this sort of assistance. A suspect cardiac pilgrim is likely to encounter the initial onset of problems while climbing through Neelimala. Appachimedu being further up, by the time the suspect pilgrim reaches Appachimedu Cardiac Care Centre, he is likely to be in the throes of a second attack. So should there be two Cardiac Care Centres one at Neelimala and another one at Appachimedu? And if the decision is to have only a single Cardiac Care Centre on the slopes, where should this be located optimally?

Are security arrangements at Sabarimala adequate during those periods when the temple is closed? It is my earnest belief that a minimum deterrence police force needs to be placed there. Do you think that a few `Watch and Ward' staff constitute what could be termed an adequate deterrent force?

Excise and law enforcement agencies need to take proactive steps to ensure that the pilgrimage areas are kept free of liquor. Random conversations with pilgrims indicate that the law enforcement authorities have not succeeded in totally preventing the sale of liquor in the pilgrimage areas. This menace is especially noticeable, in and around Pampa Bus Stand and Car Parking area, during the tail end of the pilgrimage season (i.e. 14th Jan to 20th Jan). Taxis come laden with illicit liquor, park in the car parking areas and sell liquor. Excise and police authorities need to exercise strict vigil to stamp out this evil.

Approximate number of pilgrims who have visited Sabarimala during the past three years:-

Out of the total figure, 65 % are from the neighbouring States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and the remaining 35 % are from Kerala and other States. . 7 % of pilgrims are Muslims and 5 % are Christians.

Cash Tally

The money offered by the pilgrims comes in all denominations. The number of coins offered pose a huge problem in terms of counting. Coins of the value of 5 paise to 25 paise are not even counted as there are huge quantities. Instead they are weighed. The weighing tally is as follows:-

2 Kgs of	5 paise	coins	= Rs 033.35
1 Kg of	big 10 paise	coins	= Rs 043.00
1 Kg of	small 10 paise	coins	= Rs 057.00
1 Kg of	steel 10 paise	coins	= Rs 052.00
1 Kg of	steel 20 paise	coins	= Rs 091.00
1 Kg of	nickel 25 paise	coins	= Rs100.00
1 Kg of	steel 25 paise	coins	= Rs 090.00

Coins of denominations 50 paise, one rupee, five rupees, etc are counted in bulks of 2000 and verified. There are 220 employees employed full time for this counting and verification operation in the Devaswom treasury. Dhanalakshmi Bank authorities are also co-located in the treasury and they take over the amount on counting and verification.

The Amazing Old Lady `Pattiyama' - More than 500 Visits to Sabarimala

Trekking through dense forests, Pattiyama, aged 97, has been visiting Sabarimala over the last 44 years. Pattiyama makes it a point to visit the temple not only during the peak season of Mandala Pooja and Makara Vilakku, but also on other occasions when the temple opens for pooja i.e. first day of malayalam months, Onam, Vishu etc, Hailing from Andipady in Madurai district, Pattiyama travels along the forest path from Andipady to Sannidhanam via Vallamkadavu, Uppupara, Poonakavanam and Pandithavalam covering a distance of 29 kms all alone.

Pattiyama exhibits a lot of courage. Most of the times she travels alone along the lonely and dangerous forest trails, Her eternal trust in and devotion to Lord Ayyappa, she says, gives her the bodily sustenance and mental courage to do this. Over the last 40 years, carrying her Irumudi Kettu, she has climbed the `Pathinettam Padi' more than 500 times. The divine protection she enjoys, she says, has been evident to her many times when she needed it most.

Many years back, during her pilgrimage, she was caught in the midst of a severe storm. Heavy rain and fierce winds forced her to take shelter under a tree in the thick forest. Drenched to the skin and not knowing what course of action to follow, all she could do was pray to Ayyappa. By the time the storm subsided, it was pitch dark. She elected to continue her trek in the dark. After travelling some distance, she realised that she had lost her way. Again chanting `Saranam Ayyappa' she took refuge under a tree. All of a sudden, she saw a human form coming towards her. It was a woman pilgrim heading towards her. Without exchanging any words, the visitor guided Pattiyama to the correct path, carefully traversing treacherous and slippery mountain slopes. All of a sudden, Pattiyama found herself at Sannidhanam. Awe struck and lost in devotion, she turned to thank the stranger who had guided her. There was no one to be seen anywhere nearby. Pattiyama is convinced that it was none but the Lord who had come to her rescue.

In spite of Cardiac Care units and oxygen parlours set up at Pampa, Neelimala, Appachimedu and Sannidhanam, there have been many deaths during the pilgrimage. The figures are as follows:-

Mandala - Makaravilakku Session
Ending	Loss of Lives
20th January 2002	22
20th January 2003	24
20th January 2004	27 + 1
20th January 2005	27 + 3
20th January 2006	31
20th January 2007	41
2007-08 Session (till 20 Jan 08)	25 (In addition, nearly 120 casualties were evacuated to Sannidhanam and Pampa due to various medical emergencies, and injuries. All such activities were undertaken free, by our Stretcher Service Volunteers.

In almost 99 % of these cases, cardiac problems were the main cause. Most of the pilgrims do not know their own cardiac state. The climb up to Sannidhanam is steep. In case of any lurking cardiac ailments, it starts showing up during the climb. Devotion to Lord Ayyappa does not mean that you have to climb non-stop. Please take frequent and adequate rest during your climb up Karimala, Neelimala and Appachimedu. Please be careful and look after yourself.....

Interesting Miscellaneous Asides from Sabarimala and Surroundings

Cash Tally

The Amazing Old Lady `Pattiyama' - More than 500 Visits to Sabarimala