Sabarimala has got global attention for the verdict of the Supreme Court of India allowing the entry of women of all ages and the consequent violent protests by the Hindu fundamentalists. Ayyappa and Sabari were real human beings rather than mere the heroes or herons of Mythology and Folklore. This is a work on the History of Ayyappa and Sabarimala.

1. HISTORY OF
AYYAPPA AND SABARIMALA-
A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY
DR. RAJU MUNJANAD MATHEW*

2. SABARI, AYYAPPA, MALIKAPURAM &
VAVERSWAMY AS HISTORICAL
PERSONALITIES
 Though there are several Myths and Folklores of Sabari, Ayyappa and Malikapuram of
Sabarimala, they were real life characters lived and died or murdered in the present
Sabarimala and the surrounding areas, including Nilakkal, near River Pampa in Kerala,
India, during thirteenth century AD. It also tells the complete cleansing of Buddhism and
the spread of Islam & Christianity and emergence of Nairs, Ezhavas, Pulayas & Tribal
People, besides Brahamanical Hinduism. The present work is an attempt to explore the
history of Sabarimala and Ayyappa based on the available knowledge. A more scientific
historical work , giving citations and references, can be brought out. This work may
inspire historians, sociologists, and artists to bring out several works, including cinema,
drama, fiction, poems and etc.

3. THE BACKGROUND
 In the light of the Verdict of the Constitution Bench of the
Supreme Court of India, allowing women having child-bearing
potentialities and the subsequent agitations of the Conservative
Hindu Fundamentalists against the Supreme Court Verdict, even
mobilizing their women, it is pertinent to go through the earlier
and modern history of Sabarimala and Ayyappa over above the
existing myths, folklores, and traditional beliefs or practices.

4. EARLY HISTORY
 The history of Sabarimala, originally known as Karimala, as
a Buddhist Center of Learning, Meditation and Pilgrimage,
was started with the rise of Munjanad Kingdom by the middle
of the thirteenth century AD, with its capital at Nilakkal in the
valley of Sabarimala near the River Pampa, earlier known as
River Karimala, in Kerala, India. Munjanad Kingdom was
extended over the borders of Tamilakam and Kodungallor and
had marriage relationships with Pandalam Kingdom and
Zamurians of Calicut.

5. RISE OF NILAKKAL
 Under the patronage of Munjanad Kings, Nilakkal had emerged
as a major center of trade and culture, even attracting traders of
spices, herbs and forest products from China, Ceylon, Egypt, Syria,
Babylon and Arabia who travelled through Cranganure or Musuries
Port, using the ever flowing Pampa River. Munjanad Kingdom
became very much prosperous and well known far ahead off
Pandalam, Tamilakam and Andhranad that made them jealousy of it.

6. BUDDHIST, CHRISTIAN AND
MUSLIM CONNECTIONS
 Even though Munjanad Kings were Hindus following
Sanathana Dharma, they gave patronage to the Jains from
Tamilakam, the Buddhists from Ceylon and also the Arab
Muslims and Christians and allowed them to make small
settlements, including their temples or places of worship.

7. PETTA & PALLY
 By the end of the thirteenth century AD, the Munjanad Kingdom
welcomed a large number of Tamil Muslims consequent on religious
prosecution, and allowed them to set up their colony called ‘Petta” near
River Manimala in the bank of a stream ‘Peruthode’, known as ‘Erumely
Petta’ and another one in the bank of Meenachil River near Arivthara
where two rivers join together, known as ‘Erattu Petta’. The Buddhists
were permitted to build up their colonies besides temples, known as
‘Pally” at Kanjirappally, Monippally ,Vazappally,,Thathampply and etc

8. SABARI AND KARIMALA
 For the whole hearted support of the Munjanad Kingdom, the Buddhists
had established their Temple, Monastery and School at the top of Karimala
Hill, under Sabari, a Buddhist lady monk and scholar well versed in Yoga,
Meditation, Ayurveda and Martial art. All other Buddhist centers in Kerala,
suffixed with ‘Pally’ or ‘Oor’, including Gurvayoor, came under it. Buddhist
monks and Chinese and Arab Travellers, had visited and stayed at
Karimala. Hindus, Muslims, Jewish, Buddhist and Christians boys and
girls were admitted as students and some of them had later served the
Munjanad Kingdom.

9. KALARI & SARPAKAVE
 Every house hold in the Kingdom, including that of Hindus,
Muslims and Christians, had set up its own pond, well, farm
and herbal garden later known as ‘sarpakave’ and even a kalari.
For the missionary zeal of the Buddhist monks Ayurveda
,Kalari and rearing of cows, goats, hens and cokes had become
very popular, that spread to other kingdoms also.

10. BIRTH AND EXILE OF AYYAPPA
FROM PANDALAM KINGDOM
 Ayyappa was born as the son of a Prince of Pandlam
Kingdom married to a Princes of Munjanad Kingdom,
named Pampa about AD 1275 in the Pandalam Palace.
The Palace astrologers found something extraordinary
with the child that made the King and Queen suspicious
of the child. Ayyappa at his early teens outsmarted the
sons of Pandlam King in every respect

11. AYYAPPA AS SASTHAVE UNDER
THE CARE OF SABARI
 Both the Pandalam King and Queen, as cautioned by the Minister,
feared that Ayyappa would capture the power, overthrowing the King,
when he would grow up. So they plotted against Ayyappa and decided to
leave him in the thick forest to be eaten by hungry wolfs or tigers. By
knowing the criminal conspiracy of the King and Queen, Ayyappa,
disguised as a Buddhist boy named Sasthave, was secretly sent by his
mother, Pampa, to the Munjanad Kingdom with the request of keeping
him under the care of Sabari.

12. AYYAPPA
IN THE MUNJANAD PALACE
 Knowing the threat, the king of Munjanad secretly put the boy Ayyappa under
the care of Sabari at Karimala for education and training, disguised as a Buddhist
boy named Sasthave. Princes Neelima of the Munjanad Kingdom, Vaver, a Muslim
boy and Matthai, a Christian boy were also students there. Sasthave or Ayyappa
was the most brilliant student. After attaining mastery in Sanathana Dharma and
Buddhist Dharma, Yoga , Ayurveda and Martial Art of Kalaripayattu, Ayyappa
along with Princes Neelima returned to the palace of Munjanad King where he was
known as Prince Sasthave. Ayyappa and Neelima throughout their life remained
true devotees of Sabari who was also respectfully called ‘Sabari Matha’ or ‘Sabari
Devi’.

13. ERUMELY PETTAKETTU
 The name and fame of Prince Sasthave spread across the land and the
neighboring Kingdom of Pandalam after defeating the invading fierce
Pandiyan army. The enemies came there to loot the Kingdom using
hundreds of buffalo carts. The enemies were forced to retreat towards the
Muslim settlement where Vaver mobilized his Muslim army to support his
friend,Sasthave. They together defeated the invading looters, besides killing
their buffalos or ‘erumakal’. Sasthave and his men made a victory Parade at
Muslim settlement that came to be known as ‘Erumely Petta’. The annual
celebration of the remembrance of the victory parade of Ayyappa later
became ‘Erumely Pettakettu’ jointly celebrated by Ayyappa Devotees,
Muslims and Christians. The Muslims declared Sasthave as their protector.

14. PRINCES NEELIMA
 Princes Neelima, the daughter of the Munjanad King, fall in love with
Sasthave or Ayyappa and they were about to marry. The King of Pandalam
Kingdom got angry and revengeful towards the Kingdom of Munjanad for
protecting Ayyappa and making him a disciple of Sabari in the disguise as
a Buddhist under the name of Sasthave and declared war with Munjanad
Kingdom. Ayyappa with the help of the armies of his friends Waver and
Matthai, defeated and destroyed a sizable portion of the invading army of
the Pandalam Kingdom. The revengeful king of Pandalam executed the
father and mother of Ayyappa.

15. ZAMURIAN CONNECTION
 Munjanad Kingdom had trade relationship with the Zamurian, the king
of Kozhikode. Buddhist monks from Lanka, Malayattoor, Perumpavoor,
Kodugallor, Ponnani, Thiroor, and Dharmadam used to visit Munjanad
Kings and stayed at Karimala. On the request of the Zamurian, a Young
Prince of Munjanad Kingdom, who was a student of Sabari had married
the only daughter of Zamurian and later became the Zamurian of
Kozikode. He even appointed some of the well trained Muslim warriors of
the Munjanad Kingdom in the service of Zamurian Kingdom. Kunjali
Marakkar was their decent.

16. PAMPA, SABARIMALA AND
DHARMA SASTHAVE
 When Sabari was very sick, she called Ayyappa and made him as the head
of the Buddhist Monastery and Temple before her death designating him as
Dharma Sasthave. Being the head of the monastery and temple, Ayyappa had
to observe celibacy and he could not marry Princes Neelima. After the death
of Sabari, Ayyappa named the Buddhist Temple, Monastery and Seminary
Complex at Karimala as Sabarimala. He even constructed a shrine in her name
and made her the deity of Sabarimala. After knowing the execution of his
mother, Ayyappa named River Karimala as River Pampa in the memory of his
mother, Pampa.

17. MALIKAPURAM
 As soon as Ayyappa was made as the head of the Buddhist
monastery, Princes Neelima opted to live like a Buddhist monk,
totally secluded in a separate room on the upstairs of the palace also
known as ‘malika’ and she came to be known as ‘Malikapuram’. By
knowing the pathetic condition of Princes Neelima,, Ayyappa
invited her to Sabarimala and made her to serve the disciples and
devotees and practice Ayurveda.

18. MALIKAPURATHAMMA
 Malikapuram remained unmarried till her death serving the disciples
and devotees at Sabarimala, staying in a separate small house. Everybody
respectfully called her ‘Malikapurathamma’. She even visited and treated
Vaver at Erumely when he was sick, staying in a small house near the
Muslim temple. Later, the Muslim temple came to be known as ‘
Vaverupally‘ and the house in which Malikapurathamma stayed came to
be known as Kochambalam or Malikapuram Temple’.

19. ATTACKING & LOOTING
 Pandalam Kingdom made a series of lootings and attacks of
the Munjanad Kingdom for supporting Sabarimala and
Sasthave. Consequently most of the precious wealth of the
Munjanad Kingdom had been kept in the secret chambers of
the Buddhist temple at Sabariamala. The Buddhist monks,
disciples and students of Sabarimala rendered whole hearted
support and protection to the King and Palace

20. THE FIRST BUDDHIST
KINGDOM
 Consequently, Munjanad King and most of his subjects
embraced Buddhism and the Kingdom of Munjanad became the
first Buddhist kingdom in Kerala. That had provoked the Hindu
kings of Pandlam, Pandinad and Andhranad who jointly declared
war with Munjanad Kingdom as part of total cleansing of
Buddhism from Keralam, including Kodugallor, Malayatoor,
Dharmadam, Thrikannapuram, Karumady, Karunagappally,
Karthikapply, Monippally and etc..

21. BURNING ALIVE OF AYYAPPA
AND FALL OF MUNJANAD
KINGDOM
 During the fierce war, the revengeful invaders murdered the King and
put fire on Sabarimala. Ayyappa and Malikapurathamma were burned alive
and Sabarimala was looted and destroyed without any traces. The
victorious army of the Pandalam King destroyed the palace and looted
the precious gold and diamond ornaments of Princes Neelima that had
been kept there on the direction of Ayyappa and carried them to Pandlam
in two boxes. They also carried out massive attacks, lootings and rapes of
the households of the Buddhists and even murdered many. Many women
were made captives and sex-slaves.

22. COLONIZATION OF ANDHRA
AND TAMIL FIGHTERS
 After knowing the great famine in Tamilakam and Andhranad, the Hindu Fighters of those
countries and their Brahmin priests, refused to return to their countries and the Pandalam king
was forced to allow them to setup their colony in a low laying muddy area called Thazhamon
and to marry the captive Buddhist women. The ownership of those women had been wrested
with the Princes and Nampoothiries of Pandalam who could enter their houses at any time. Some
of the captive Buddhist women were made sex slaves known as ‘Devadasis” or ‘Koothachies’.
 The Tamil and Andhra Brahmins remained very poor. The pathetic condition of the Brahmin
family of Thazhamon was brought to the notice of the King who appointed its male members as
the Palace priests with food and cloth allowances. The people called the Andhra and Tamil
military men as ‘Nayakers’ and gradually they came to be known as Nair Fighters under powerful
Namboothirs and Potties besides local chiefs.

23. PANDALAM PALACE AND
ANDHRA BRAHMINS
 However, the Pandalam palace priests and astrologers predicted the
decline of the Kingdom and prohibited the use the gold ornaments of
Prince Neelima and looted items of Munjanad Palace. The king sought
the help of the Andhra Brahmins for remedy and special sacrifices. In
spite of all those rituals, the blood stains of Sabarimala and Nilakkal
haunted the Kingdoms of Pandalam, Tamil and Andhra, leading to their
decline and collapse.

24. MASS EXODUS OF BUDDHISTS
 With the fall of Munjanad Kingdom and the destruction of Sabarimala, the
survived Buddhists made a mass exodus to neighboring areas, including Ranni,
Thiruvella, Chenganoor, Changanacherry, Kottayam, Kanjriappally, Pala,
Thodupuza, Moovattupuzha, Perumpavoor, Kalady and Malayattoor under
several groups. Those who migrated to Kottayam set up ‘Munjanad Kingdom at
Thazathnagadi when they became powerful. Some of the survivors found shelter
in the thick forests and became forest tribes in different names such as
Malayarans, Ulladens and Malapandarams. Gradually, Sabarimala and Nilakkal
turned into thick forests occupied by wild tigers, wolfs and elephants.

25. MASS CONVERSIONS TO
ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY
 Brutal religious prosecution of the Buddhists had been carried out. In order
to escape from religious prosecution, some of the Buddhists embraced either
Islam or Christianity and lived like Arab Muslims or Christians from Syria who
had been given special privilege and protection by the Chera Kings. Thereafter,
Christians were known as Nazranies or Vadukars or Syrian Christians as they
were under Bishops from Syria and Muslims as Turks or ‘Thulukars’ for their
Turkish connection. Both Muslims and Christians were together called as
‘Mopilas’. However, they followed some of their old Buddhist traditions and
culture, including white long dress, Kalari and Ayurveda, trade and agriculture
and they even called their temples as ‘Pallies’, as Buddhists called their
temples as Pallies and schools as Pallykoodum.

26. BUDDHISTS, EZHAVAS AND
PULAYAS
 An ardent group of Buddhists dared to remain Buddhists and moved
towards Kanjirappally and set up their colony at Parathode in
Kanjirappally with some of the treasures of Sabarimala. Nevertheless, a
sizable number of Buddhists had not converted either to Islam or
Christianity, but remained non-practicing Buddhists engaged in
agriculture and rearing domestic animals and they came to be known as
Ezhavas or Theyas or Chovers specializing in farming, coconut climbing
and toddy making. Those Buddhists who were working in the mud and
engaging in butchery were called as Pulayas and Parayas or Chermers.

27. BUDDHIST PLACE AND FAMILY
NAMES IN KERALA
 In Kerala there are several Places and Families suffixed with the
term ‘Pally’ showing their Buddhist roots. Place names such as
‘Koovappally’, Kanjrappally, Thathampally, Monippally …are some
of the examples. The Buddhist roots of the several Hindu, Muslim
and Christian Families in Kerala can be found in their family
names such as Vellappally, Kadakampally, Pittappilly, Koippally,
Kollappally, Chittilappally, Kallampally, Kokkappally and so
many others.

28. NAIRS, BRAHMINS &
UNTOUCHABLES
 Later, the Brahmins became influential landlords and temple priests
making Nairs their servants and guards or warriors. Some of the Nair
women became very influential over rich Brahmin landlords and they
became powerful landlords who had kept their men without any voice.
Gradually, they earned upper status in the society just below the
Brahmins. Ezhavas and Pulayas were considered impure and
untouchables. However, Christians and Muslims had been given special
status in the society for their money power and trade contacts.

29. PANDLAM PALACE AND
‘THIRUVABHARANAM
 After the brutal murder of the Munjanad King, Ayyappa and
Malikapurthamma, everybody in the Pandalam kingdom considered that they
had the curse of Sabari, Dharma Sasthave and Malikapurathamma, as there
were series of tragedies in the Pandalam Palace . Nobody in the Pandalam
Palace dared even to touch the bounty of Sabarimala as everybody believed
that it would bring doom to the Kingdom. As a remedy, it was decided to
construct one temple for Sabari, Dharma Sasthave and Malikapurathamma
each. As repentance, it was decided to carry out the gold ornaments of
Princes Neelima, calling it as ‘Thiruvabhaaranam’ to Sabarimala during
Makarasankrathi Day and return it to Pandalam Palace.

30. PILGRIMAGE TO SABARIMALA
 On every 14th day of January, the Makarasankrathy day on which
Ayyappa and Malikapurthamma were brutally murdered, some of the
daring and Sabari or Ayyappa devotee Buddhist, Ezhava, Pulaya,
Malayaraya, Muslim and Christian men and women, used to make annual
pilgrimages in the temple of Dharma Sasthave and Malikapurthamma at
Sabarimala. In order to hide their Buddhist roots they dressed with black
cloth instead of their usual white dress, calling each other ‘Ayyappa or
Ayyappa Swamy’ and chanting ‘Dharma Manthras’

31. MAKARA JOYTHI OR
VILAKKU.
 The forest tribes settled at Ponnamabala Medu, near Sabarimala
became the Custodians and Tantries or Priests who used honey for
rituals. They used to put a big pier, danced around it and chanted
Ayyappa Manthras on Makara Sankranthi day remembering
Ayyappa and Malikapurathamma. The pilgrims at the top of
Sabarimala considered it something divine and called Makara
Joythi or Makara Vilakku.

32. ERUMUDIKETTU OR
TWIN BLACK BAG
 Carrying head-loads of food and religious articles in a twin
black cloth bag, chanting Dharma Manthras, wearing black cloths
and, long beads after forty one days of preparations, including
prayers, celibacy and strict vegetarian food, Ayyappa devotees
performed the Sabarimala pilgrimage in one of the two occasions,
saying goodbye to the family members and friends, as there was no
guarantee of safe return from Sabarimala due to man eating
animals and notorious thieves and criminals.

33. SWAMY SARANAM AND
AYYAPPA SARANAM
 The devotees, chanting Dharma and Ayyappa Manathras, such
as ‘Swamy Saranam and Ayyappa Saranam entered in Sabarimala in
small groups. The women pilgrims were respectfully called as
‘Malikapurams’. In order to reach Sabarimala, one had to walk
several days through thick forests without any road or other facility,
risking the life and facing wild tigers, elephants and deadly
poisonous snakes. Only daring women devotees used to make
pilgrimage to Sabarimala.

34. VAVERUPALLY AND
KOCHAMBALAM
 The Sabarimala Ayyappa devotees used to stay one or two days at
Nilakkal, in different small groups under the direction of elderly
persons, called Guru Swamies, well versed in religious practices and
the safest forest route, through Erumely, visiting Vaverupally and
Kochambalam. The Muslims and Christians in Erumely used to treat
Ayyappa devotees or Sabarimala Pilgrims as their guests and rendered
all help and support to them till Erumely and Sabarimala had
developed with transportable roads, restaurants and hotels.

35. WOMEN AND
UNTOUCHABLES
 However, ardent Hindus, including Nairs and Brahmins had not
been visiting Sabarimala for their religious and historical hate
towards Buddhism. The untouchable Ezhavas, Pulayas and Forest
Tribes besides the Muslims and Christians considered Sabarimala
as their ancestral pilgrimage Centre, Sabari their Deity and
Ayyappa their own Protector and Malikapurathmma their Goddess
without any caste or religion. Women pilgrims of all ages or castes
or religions used to visit Sabarimala and had respectfully been
called as ‘Malikapurams’ having special privileges. Nobody dared
to do any harm or disrespect to them.

36. MODERN HISTORY OF
SABARIMALA
 Modern History of Sabarimala started with the rise of the Kingdom of
Travancore with Marthandavarma as king from 1729 to 1758 AD under the
Dewanship of Ramayyan Dalwa. The Travancore Kingdom spread across
Periyar to Cape Comerin after defeating and annexing Kingdoms of
Kayamkulam, Mavelikkara, Elayadth Swarrompam, Quilon,
Thazathangadi, and Cochin . He even put Zamorins of Calicut under
threat. Without any war, Pandalam king surrendered before
Marthandavarma and became one of his Principalities for its financial and
administrative crises and recurring misfortunes.

37. TREASURES OF SABARIMALA &
KANJIRAPPALLY
 Ramayyan Dalawa , Prime Minister of Marthandavarma defeated the Nampoothiries
having armies of Nairs. Some of the defeated Nampoothiries and Nairs converted to
Christianity. From Pandalam King, Marthandavarma came to know about the vast
treasures of the erstwhile Munjanad Kingdom kept in the secret chambers of
Sabarimala, the Buddhist pilgrimage center and another sizable share with the Buddhist
settlement at Parathode in Kanjirappally. Marthandavarma sent his army to take
possession of the great treasures of Sabarimala and Buddhist settlement at
Kanjirappally and eliminated all the traces of Buddhism in Sabarimala, Nilakkal,
Kanjirappally and even Malayattoor.

38. BUDDHIST TREASURES AT
TRAVANCORE PALACE
 In its search for the hidden treasures at Sabarimala, the Travancore army
with the support of the Pandalam Palace destroyed all remaining structures of
Nilakkal and Sabarimala, except a statue of meditating Buddha mistaken as
Shiva and finally unearthed several box full of precious metals, gold coins and
ornaments. Then the army moved to destroy the Buddhist settlement at
Kanjirappally and loot the precious wealth. After a prolonged war, the army had
defeated the Buddhists in Kanjirappally and taken possession of the vast
treasures kept in several boxes. Travancore army had transported all the treasure
boxes to the Travancore Palace at Anthapuram or Trivandrum.

39. PA DBHA NABHA SWA MY TEMPLE’S
SECR ET TR EA SUR ES WORTH BILLIONS
 A series of tragic incidents had happened in the Palace,
including the king’s sleepless nights, terrifying dreams, frequent
falls from the royal couch, a serious wound during royal hunting
and chronic illness of the queen. On the advices of the palace
priests and astrologers, Marthandavarma decided to shift the
entire treasures of Sabarimala and Kanjirappally and keep them in
the secret cells of the chambers of the Padbhanabha Swami
Temple, Thiruvanathapuram as something haunted or cursed.

40. SABARIMALA AS A HINDU
PILGRIMAGE CENTER
 During the time of Ramayyan Delava, the Prime Minister of Travancore
under Marthandavarma, attempts had been made to convert Sabarimala
as a pure Hindu Temple and Pilgrimage Centre making use of Hindu
Mythologies and Ayyappa as a mythological entity, taking away his
Buddhist root . Accordingly, Ayyappa was presented as the son of the
Union between two Hindu male gods, Siva and Vishu and projected as the
destroyer of Mahishasura, demon looked like a buffalo so as to prevent
the arrival of Buddhists during Makarasankranthi day.

41. SABARIMALA UNDER DIRECT
CONTROL OF TRAVANCORE
 Ramayyan Delava wanted to have a direct control over the forest wealth
and spices of the Central Travancore and he nationalized trade of spices
and forest products. He appointed Mathen Taraken of Munjand family as
the local chief and the custodian of the spices and the forest wealth,
including that of Sabarimala region. Ramayyan Delava constructed a Siva
Temple in Nilakkal and appointed some employees there. However, the
Kerala and Tamil Brahmins refused to perform as priests in Sabarimala and
Nairs refused to enter Sabarimala even during Makarasankarathi.

42. MA LAYA TOOR A S A CHR ISTIA N
P ILG R IMA G E CENT ER
 By knowing that a large number of Christians, Thiyas and Pulayas of
Buddhist root had been performing pilgrimage to the Malayatoor Hill,
Ramayyan Delava encouraged Christians to convert it as a Christian Pilgrimage
Center. Mythology related to the prayer and meditation of St.Thomas, one of
the disciples of Jesus had been attributed to the Malayatoor Hill, had been
crafted and made popular even though the pilgrims used to climb to the top
chanting Buddha Manthra as ‘Muthappan Saranam’ in stead of ‘Ayyappa
Saranama’ at Sabarimala. Christians and Hindus used to climb the top of the
hill during the eve of Easter

43. C.P.RAMASWAMY IYAR
 As soon as Sir C.P. Ramasway Iyer became the Deleva of
Travancore, he made strenuous efforts to cut off the minutest
Buddhist traces of Sabarimala and Ayyappa by placing the King of
Pandalam as the foster father of Ayyappa and elevated Ayyappa to
the status of a Hindu deity and even constructed a Hindu temple
making Ganapathi and Malikapurthamma as sub-deities. He
prohibited Ezhavas, Pulayas and Forest Tribal people to perform as
priests or tantries of Sabarimala but only Brahmins.

44. TANTRY, PRIESTS AND
WOMEN PILGRIMS
 Since Brahmins from Kerala refused to serve Sabarimala, one Brahmin
family of Andhra origin called Thazathumon was appointed as the Tantry
of Sabarimala and later Kerala Brahmins were made as priests of Nilakkal
and Sabarimala. C.P. Ramasway Iyer encouraged Nairs in large numbers to
perform pilgrimage to Sabarimala. Daring young women devotees used to
visit Sabarimala as ‘Malikapurms’, after observing fasting and
vegetarianism and walking through deep forest tracks, though it involves
great risk, including tiger attacks and sexual harassment by the criminals.
Gradually the number of women pilgrims had been reduced considerably.

45. PROHIBITION OF WOMEN
 However, the Kerala High Court prohibited women having menstrual cycle
or childbearing age to visit Sabarimala in its verdict in 1990 that has been
recently revoked by the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court of India.
The verdict indirectly challenged the ownership right of Pandalam Royal
family and the Sabarimala Tantri or Priest Family from Andhra over
Sabarimala. They instigated conservative Hindus in Kerala, including women,
to protest violently against Supreme Court Verdict permitting women of all
ages to enter Sabarimala as something against Hinduism and Sabarimala
practices. Political parties like BJP and Congress rushed to make use of it for
their political advantages.

46. VIOLENT AGITATIONS
 Sabarimala Agitation against the entry of young women has turned violent
having several legal and political consequences and gone out of the control as
well as that of BJP and RSS that exploited it effectively for their political agenda.
Criminals and even well trained Islamic State fighters disguised as ‘ Ayyappa
Devotees’ have been attacking old women pilgrims and children as the Protectors
of Ayyappa and Sabarimala, along with conservative caste Hindus. Their aim is
the end of Sabarimala as a pilgrim center without any caste or religion for its
Buddhist root but to bring it under the ownership of Pandalam Palace and
Tantry family .

47. THE HOPE & PRAYER
 It is hoped that Sabarimala and Ayyappa do remain
free from any caste or religion or political controversy or
violence or bloodshed as they are the embodiment of
Humanism, Universality and Spirituality of Sanathana
Dharma rooted in the Buddhist Yoga and Dharma for
realizing ‘Thathwamasi’ or ‘ Aham Brahmasmi’.

48. CONCLUSION
 This write up is based on what I read on Ancient Kerala History, my
discussions with Professors M.G.S. Narayanan, Rghava Warrior and M.
M. Purushotaman Nair of Calicut University besides, some members
of Zamurian family, Calicut , elder members of my paternal Munjanad
family, Kanjirappally and maternal Mannoor family at Pala. On the
basis of new evidences, it can be modified. It can be used for bringing
out attractive films and TV programs as Sabarimala has attracted
global attention. Further research must be conducted to explore the
hidden chapters of the local History of Kerala.

49. SA BR IMA LA AY YA PPA - EMBODIMENT
OF KER A LA CULTUR E
 Sabarimala is the embodiment of Culture and Socio-Economic-
Political Life of Kerala. It is a confluence of several streams of faiths and
religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism as well as Islam and
Christianity . Ayyappa, emerged as Dharmasastha, represents Sanathana
Dharma and higher Hindu & Buddhist Yoga and Meditation. The
principle deities of Sabarimala are Sabari, Dharmasastha and
Malikapurathamma, with Vaverswamy as a sub-deity; later Siva and
Ganesh were extrapolated as part of the strategy of Brahmanicalization
of Ayyappa and Sabarimala.

50. A BOUT THE AUTHOR
 On the basis of his book published from UK in 1981, Dr. R. M. Mathew was nominated
to two international expert committees,, having consultative status with UN & UNESCO,
as the youngest member in 1983. In 1985, he formulated two basic theories on Knowledge
Consumption & Production, now known as Mathew’s Theories of Knowledge, published
from Moscow. They have become an area for doctoral research works. In 2005, Dr. Mathew
propounded Knowmatics, Cybernetics of Knowledge.
 Dr. Mathew has supervised 12 doctoral works based on the Vedas & Upanishads, the
Bible & Quran, Ayurveda & Tribal Medicine, Higher Education Management, IT & Kerala
Development. Dr. Mathew writes extensively on Global Economic Crisis, Islamic
Terrorism, Education and Information Technology. Most of his works have wider
readership and appeared over eight languages, including Arabic, Chinese, …..
Twitter@drrajumathew, Linkedin: https://ae.linkedin.com/in/munjanad