Swami Ayyappan: The Reality and the Asianet Myth

The popular Malayalam serial Swami Ayyappan on Asianet TV is a childrens version of

the Sabarimala myth. It reiterates that Sabarimala is abode of the divinity of prince
Manikantan, and that it was founded by a king of Pandalam. The real story of Sabarimala
temple and the reasons for the fabrication of the myth of Ayyappan illuminate some dark
pages in history. The Sabarimala temple is consideably older than mere 800 years as
suggested by the serial makers. While some claim that it was one of the sixty-four
temples established by Parasuraman, some others claim that it was a Shiva temple of
great antiquity. Buddhists claim that it was a Buddhist temple, and orthodox Christians
living in the area claim that Sabarimala was named after one of their bishops.

Sabarimala (0929N 7706E) falls in Pathanamthitta district of Kerala. It is the destination

of world's second largest annual pilgrimage, after Mecca. This annual Hindu pilgrimage
takes place between mid-November (Malayalam month of Vrschikam) to mid-January.
The temple is open for worship from 15 November to 26 December (for mandalapuja),
on 15 January (for makaravilakku), on 14 April ( for Vishu), and on the first five days of
each Malayalam month. Although guesstimates put the number of annual pilgrims to
Sabarimala between 5 - 50 million, a head count by the India Eco-Development Project
puts the number at about 4 million during peak Mandalapuja-Makaravilakku season since
1998-99. It stated that 3,943,776 pilgrims (including 96,017 women [pre-10 and post-50
age groups] and 488,718 children) visited the shrine between Nov 15 and Jan 20, 2000-
2001. Of these, 2,753,767 came during the Mandala season (Nov 15 to Dec 26). For
details, see The Hindu, (Kochi edn.) Dec. 4. 2001)

Pilgrims undertake a 41-day ritual fasting which include wearing black shirt, mundu,
necklace of beads, practicing utmost cleanliness, not uttering any curses, etc. besides
abstention from sex and non-vegetarian and rajasic food. Carrying irumudi on thier
heads, the pilgrims trekup a narrow and steep four-kilometer forest trail to reach the
temple situated at a height of 1260 meters in Western Ghats. Pilgrims prefer the long and
arduous 61 km Erumeli route through forest and hill track to the shorter13 km
Vandiperiyar route on the Kotayam-Kumili road, and the 8 km Chalakayam route near
Pampa. Officially, tourists, foreigners, and women of the menstruating age are not entry
to the main temple.

Pilgrims address each other as ayyappan or swami and chant Swamiye Saranamayyappa.
He is supposed to see in all living and non-living the manifestation of the Supreme
Being: they call donkeys (kazhutha) that carries the goods up the mountains as
kazhuthaswamy, human excreta as bhuswami. By doing so, theytry to recognize that all
manifest realities are nothing but the manifestations of the same transcendental reality.
Recognising the the divine in others and realizing the ultimate advaitic knowledge tatvam
asithat the paramatma (universal soul), not different from the jeevatma (ones life soul)
is the essence of Hindu pilgrimages.
Sabarimala in history
Ayyappan's lived in the 12th century AD. According to the website of the Pandalam royal
family, Pandalam kingdom was established in 903 AD (79 ME) by the descendents of the
Pandya kings of Madurai. The CheraChola war (985-1085) weakened Keralas Chera
dynasty and strengthened Pandyan incursion into Punjar and Pandalam. By 1194 (370
ME) they ruled over 1000 sq. miles Airur Swarupam[1], which included Sabarimala, with
the help of the friendly[2] Ay kings of Venad.

After the death of Maravaramban Kulasekara Pandyan of Madurai in 1308, his sons Viran
and Sundaran fought for the throne and Viran sought the assistance of Khilji sultanate of
Delhi. In 1311, Malik Kafur, the general of Alauddin Khilji (r.12961316) sacked and
occupied Madurai until 1371 when it was annexed by Vijayanagar which appointed its
nayaks (governors) to rule Madurai. Having lost to Malik Kafur, fleeing Pandyans joined
the Pandyan settlements at Punjar and Pandalam. King Rajasekhara (c 1200 AD) of
Pandalam, Manikantans adopted father, was of Pandyan descend.

There is no clear evidence about the befinning of Sabarimala pilgrimage. Three centuries
after the founding of the temple, a later pandalam king, along with the descendants of the
Vavar family, rediscovered the path, re-established the pilgrimage and renovated the
temple . Erumely, where they rested, is the sopt of Erumely Pettathullal. Even now, new
pilgrims thrust arrows at Saramkuthy where they laid down arms.

Pandalam was added to Travancore in 1821. Following Col. John Munroes directive,
Travancore Dewaswam Board began to administer Sabarimala temple along with other
temples. Memoirs of Travancore by William Henry Horsley (1839) speaks of
Chowrymully: Among the other pagodas of celebrity that of Ayapen at Chowrymully
attracts particular attention, vast numbers (and many even from the eastern coast)
flocking to it at the period of festival in January, to present their vows and offerings,
notwithstanding that it is situated in the wildest country possible.
The temple was remodeled in 1905 and an idol was installed in 1910. Some religious
miscreants burned down the temple in sometime in 1950 and the incident was known
only after a month. The fire destroyed the temple and the Stone Idol of Ayyappan. The
Govt. of Kerala and the Devaswam board renovated the temple in 1951 and a new
Panchaloha idol was installed in May by thantri Kantaru Sankararu of Thazhaom,
Chengannur. After the conflagration in 1971, the temple underwent a major revamp.

Historical and Mythical Ayyappan

Ayyappan does not figure in any classical Hindu scripture or mythology. But, devotees
believe that he is Hariharaputhra, son of Vishnu (Hari) who assumed feminine form as
Mohini and Shiva (Hara). The baby born of their union was adopted by the childless king
Rajasekhara. The boy was also called Manikantan (jewel-necked) as he had a jewel on his
neck. He survived several attempts on his life and lived in the palace for 18 years.
Meanwhile, the queen gave birth to a boy. The machinations of the minister and the
queen led to sending Manikantan to bring fresh milk of a tigress to cure the queens
feigned illness. When he came back next morning with a herd of tigresses, the frightened
queen confessed her evil intent. Despite the request of the king and the court, Manikantan
appointed the young prince to succeed Rajasekhara as king. He shot an arrow and
requested the king had to build a temple for him where the arrow was to alight. The king
built a sanctuary for the divinity of Manikantan at Sabarimala where the arrow alighted.
His devotees believe that it was the place where Manikantan meditated after killing the
demon Mahishi when he was in the forest looking for tigress-milk.

The historical Ayyappan was a Vellala[4] youth called Ayyan Ayyappan. He was the army
chief of Pandalam and was the nephew of the Vellal Chieftain of Erumeli, a Perisseri
Pillai[5]. He defeated of Udayanan's effort to demolish the Sastha temple at Sabarimala
and the Pandalam king renovated the Sastha temple with the help of Ayyan, Vavar (a
Muslim youth from Kanjirappally), and Kadutha (a Nair youth from Muzhukeer,
Chenganoor). Following Ayyapan's death in a clash, Perissery Pillai constructed a Sastha
temple at Erumeli, opposite Vavar mosque. Locals venerated Ayyappan as the incarnation
of Lord Sastha and started worshipping him, and in the course of time, Ayyappan and
Sastha became synonymous.

The making of Sabarimala

Different Indian faiths merge in Sabarimala and it is a pilgrimage to an unusual deity.
Sabarimala is the only ancient temple dedicated to Hariharaputra, the Son Vishnu and
Shiva. Hariharaputra myth must have originated in the effort to reconcile the rival
Shaivite and Vaishnavite faiths. The temple witnessed a gradual transformmation of the
deity from the Dravidian deity Shiva to Buddha to Ayyappan.[6] This could be the
reasonw hcy the customs of Saivites, Shaktists, Vaishnavites, Buddhists and Jains are part
of the pilgrim rites. Pilgrims rudraksha chain comes from Saivites, the fasting, penance
and continence from Vaishnavites, ahimsa from Jains, the repeated chant from Buddhists,
and the offering of tobacco to Kadutha from Shaktists.

Buddhist claim to Sabarimala

Sabarimala was once a Buddhist temple complex. Another name of Ayyappan is Sastha
which means Buddha. Prior to that it was a Dravidian Shaivite centre. Its Makarajyoti
gave it the name Potalaka. Some claim that Potala, the Dalai Lama's palace in Lhasa is
named after Sabarimala. Buddshist sources like Avatamsakasutra, Lokesh Chandras
Hymn to the Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara,[7] and the writings of Hiuen Tsang (Zuen
Xang)[8] mention that Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara Padmapani (Bodhisattva of
Compassion) was worshipped at Sabarimala.

There is ample circumstantial evidence to Kerala's Buddhist past. Kodungallur (Muziris)

was a Buddhist centre. It was Bodhidharma (420-479 AD) from Kodungallur who started
the Zen (dhyana in Sanskrit, Ch'an in Chinese) Buddhism. He reached China, taught
Keralas martial art of kalaripayattu to the unarmed monks in Chinas Shao-Lin temple,
and introduced tea in China. Kodungallur devi temple was originally a Buddhist nunnery
and was associated with Kannaki, the heroine of Ilango Adigals Silappathikaram.
Dethroning of the asura king Mahabali, whose egalitarian reign was ended by Vishnu, is a
myth about the egalitarian Buddhist rule overthrown by Upanishadic Hindus. The chant
Swamiye saranam Ayyappa is similar to "Buddham saranam gacchami, Sangham saranam
gacchami, Dhammam saranam gacchami." The sitting posture of Ayyappa is very similar
to the Buddhist image.

The legend of Malikappurathamma[9] (Leela, a girl from Cheerappanchira Ezhava family

of Muhamma in Alleppey who fell in love with Ayyappa when he was there to learn
kalarippayattu) takes Ayyappan story to the Ezhavas, Buddhist migrants from Sri Lanka.
She is also worshipped at Sabarimala.

Christian connection to Sabarimala

A pond at Nilakkal near Sabarimala has remnants of a destroyed churc, which the
Christians believe to have been one of the original churches established by St. Thomas.
Hindu activists do not permit archeological investigations of the area because of many
reasons and fear of subversion. Aleast one report filed by K Kesava Menon, DIG (Special
Branch) accuse Christian fanatics of the area for the arson at Sabarimal in 1950s. There
was an enquiry report titled Sabarimala Temple Arson Case, later published by
Government of Kerala in 1957. This 35 pages report is available from a government
owned website (Information & Public relations Department)
(http://www.firstministry.kerala.gov.in/).
Nilackal and surrounding areas were under the rule of Pandalam king. As the Chera
representative in Karimalakotta near Sabarmala did not accept the authority of Pandalam,
their fight destroyed Karimala, and exposed to invaders. This resulted in its total
destruction by 1341.
Escaping Muslim persecution (717-822), some Nineveh (modern Mosul in Iraq)
Christians reached Kerala under the leadership of Bishops Sobar Esho and Porth. After
landing at Quilon in 822 AD[10], Proth settled at Kodungalloor and Sabor Esho at
Kollam constructing churches at Kurakkenikollam (Kayamkulam), Chenganoor
(Perasseri), Thevalakara, Nilackal (Chayal), Niranam, Kadamattam, Parur, and
Malayatoor. Sabor Esho spent his last days at Chayal monastery (chayal in Hebrew
means 'bachelors place') he had set up near the main church at Nilackal (known as
thalappally and as arappally). After his death, the hill where the main church stood was
named after him as Sabormala (Mt. Sabor). The place where the Chayal church stood is
now known as Plappally or Thalappally. Frequent floods[11] and persistenet pandyan
attack destroyed Nilakkal church and Chayal monastry by 1341 . Plunderers under
Vikrampuli Thevar (Vakrapuli) and Paraya Pattam (Perumpatta) looted temples, churches,
and houses in the High Ranges during 1253-99. Pandiyan plunder, flood and local unrest
made people abandon Nilackal and move to other regions by river and through hill tracks.

Muslim connection
Vavar (Bawa ?), a Muslim defeated by Ayyappan, figures prominently. His idol, placed at
the foot of the 18 steps leading to the main deity, is believed to be as old as the deity of
Ayyappan. A Muslim priest performs the rituals related to this carved stone slab near a
green silk cloth hung on the wall and an old sword. The offerings to Vavar are green
pepper, rose water and sandalwood paste along with coconut and clarified butter. Some
pilgrims even bring goats.
There are many versions about who Vavar was. According to some, he escaped from
Madurai from the attack of Thirumala Naickar. He is also believed to be an Arab Muslim
who came to spread Islam. Still others suggest that he was a pirate subdued by Ayyappan
and became a close associate in his battles. Ayyappa instructed building a mosque for
Vavar at Erumeli and a shrine at Sabarimala. Some families practicing the Unani
medicine at Vaipur near Thiruvalla claim to be descendants of Vavar.

Conclusion
Pandalam dynasty, descendents of Pandyan dynasty of Madurai, is hardly older than 1200
AD when a branch of the Pandyan royal family settled there. Historically, it is possible
that Manikantan lived after the invasion of Madurai by Alauddin Khilji of Delhi in (1311
AD) and immediately after the annexation of Madurai (1371 AD) from its Muslim rulers
by Vijayanagara kingdom which appointed Nayaks governors at Madurai. Vavar must be
a Muslim leader who escaped to the Western Ghats from Madurai when Vijayanagar
forces of attacked it.

The Christian settlement of Nilakkal which began with Sabar Eso building a church there
sometime around 850 AD must have come to an end with the frequent Pandyan raids
symbolized by Vakrapiuli and Perumpatta (1253-99). These raids helped the rise of
Pandyan power in Pandalam and Punjar and also played a part in the decline of the
defenseless Christian settlement at Nilakkal, which ended with flood of 1341.

The forsaken Buddhist temple at Sabarimala must have been discovered by the Pandyan
rulers when they occupied Nilakkal. Together with the Saivites in Kerala, the Vaishnavite
invaders fabricated the myth of Hariharaputran to counter Buddhism and used the legend
of Manikantan, the prince of Pandalam for the purpose. Manikantan was called Ayyappan
(Ay appan) to garner the support of the Ay kings of Vend. The ancient Shaivite deities of
Sabarimala came to be known after Ayyappan and his associatesVavar and Kadutha
and even the Ezhava girl who loved himas they were deified by local Brahmanical
Hinduism.

The myth lives on. What are forgotten in the story are the Shaivite deities of Sabarimala.
Who bothers about truth in Kerala when it makes all involved richer, and bestow free
celebration for the rest.

Notes
[1] A title of the Pandalam raja is Airur Sree Veerasreedhara Kovil Adhikarikal. Pandalam
royal family belongs to the Bhargava clan while other Kshatriya families in Kerala
belong to Viswamithra clan.

[2] Even when the Vendad king Marthanda Varma established the kingdom of Travancore
in 1749AD (925ME), he did not annex Pandalam and allowed it to rule independently,
and the Pandalam kings helped Marthanda Varma to subject Kayamkulam. Pandalam was
merged with Travancore in 1820 (995ME).
[3] The sanctum sanctorum of the Meenakshi Temple was closed and the main deity was
shifted to the Ardhamandapam.

[4] The old Ezhavarsevampattu mentions Ayyan as vellalar kula jhathan (born of Vellala
caste) ayyan ayyappan. Ayyan and Ayyappan is a common name among vellalas of
nearby districts of Kerala and they have built many Ayyappan temples.
An old mud house which keeps an old sword with which Ayyappan killed eruma is
claimed to be the house of Perissery Pillai is in the Puthenveedu Vellala house compound
near Sree Ayyappa movie theatre at Erumeli. The name Erumeli came from Erumakolly
[eruma (mahisham, she-buffalo) + kolly (killer). Erumeli pettaithullal is a celebration of
the killing of the mahishi.

[5] Some claim that Ayyappan was the son of a Brahmin. Nalankal Krishna Pillai thinks
that Brahmins never had the name Ayyappan or Ayyan (Mahashekthrangalkkumunpil).
[6] Unlike in the rest of India, the Buddhists and Shivites co-existed peacefully in Kerala,
as in Prambanan in Java and Angkor Wat in Cambodia where Eswara and Buddha are
interchangeable.

[7] Potalaka, the earthly paradise of Avalokitesvara is described in Avatamsaka Sutra:

''Potalaka is on the sea-side in the south, it has woods, it has streams, and tanks''.
Buddhabhadra's (420 AD) renders Potala (Potalaka) as ''brilliance." Etymologically,
Tamil pottu (potti-) ''to light (as a fire)''...brilliance refers to the makarajyoti of
Sabarimala.'

'...Lord Ayyappan of Sabarimala... could have been the Potala Lokesvara of Buddhist
literature. The makara jyoti of Sabarimala recalls Potala's "brilliance"... The long,
arduous and hazardous trek through areas known to be inhabited by elephants and other
wildlife to Sabarimala is spoken of in the pilgrimage to Potala Lokesvara. The Buddhist
character of Ayyappan is explicit in his merger with Dharma-sasta. Sasta is a synonym of
Lord Buddha.'

[8] Huen Tsang says that at Potala Avalokitesvara takes the form of Isvara (Shiva) and
that of a Pasupata yogin. It was Shiva who was metamorphosed into Avalokitesvara.
When Buddhism became dominant, the Saivite image at Potalaka was deemed to be
Avalokitesvara. Potalaka Lokesvara and the Thousand-armed Avalokitesvara have echoes
of Shiva and Vishnu, of Hari and Hara.

He refers to Avalokitesvaras Potala as: ''In the south of the country near the sea was the
Mo-lo-ya (Malaya) mountain, with its lofty cliffs and ridges and deep valleys and gullies,
on which were sandal, camphor and other trees. To the east of this was Pu-ta-lo-ka
(Potalaka) mountain with steep narrow paths over its cliffs and gorges in irregular
confusion...' (Summarized by Waters, 1905).

[9] The legend behind Malikappurathamma is that Leela, daughter of Galavamuni, under
curse of her husband Dathan, was reborn as Mahishi, an "asura' female with a buffalo's
face. Upon having killed by Lord Ayyappa, the curse was revoked and the beautiful
woman rose out of the corpse. She thanked the Lord and prayed to be with him as His
wife. However, he told her that he is a 'brahmachari' and so her desire would not be
fulfilled. However, He allowed her to remain in Sabarimala, a little distant from his
abode, as his sister - Malikappurathamma.

[10] In 880 during the reign of the Chera king, Sthanu Ravi (Mallan Perumal
Vijayaragan), Venadu king Ayyanadikal Thiruvadigal gave Mar Sabor Easo and the
Christians in Tharissapally Church in Kollam two separate chepeds (Copper Plaques),
now in the custody of the Orthodox and Marthomma Churches at Kottayam and
Thiruvella respectively.

[11] Puthuvipeen in Ernakulam was formed because of this flood.

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