South India is home to many pilgrimage centers located at different states that make the Deccan region but it is Kerala which tops all the states for being the land with one of the largest pilgrim centers in the world – Sabarimala. Kerala has always been a favorite with tourists for its ancient traditions, architectural grandeur and natural diversity but Sabarimala has made a niche for itself in the life of pilgrims who visit it for one sole reason – to get a glimpse of the deity Ayyappan at the Holy temple.

Located amidst eighteen hills in the Sahya region on the east of Kerala bordering the state of Tamil Nadu, Sabarimala is a little difficult to reach as there is no direct transportation to this place, and pilgrims have to walk a distance of almost fifty kilometers up hill in order to reach Sabarimala. The closest railway stations are located at Kottayam and Chengannur and the international airports are at Kochi and Thiruvanathapuram. Vehicles go up to Pampa, from where traveling on foot up the steep hill is the only way to reach the pilgrim center. Devotees of Ayyappan, however, overcome every difficulty to reach the place which is home to their Lord, after the completion of forty-one days.

It is strongly believed that Sabarimala is where Lord Ayyappan had meditated, after having killed the demon, Mahishi. Pilgrims visit this place primarily during the pilgrimage season falling between Vruchikam (November) and Makaram-Makara Samkranthi (December). It also remains open at the beginning of every month and also on a few festivals of the Malayali calendar. During these times pilgrims imbibe the principles that the temple believes in, that is, every human being is God himself and in order to be one with the Universal soul, one needs to search the life soul within him.

The very belief of the omnipresence of God in each human heart has led to Sabarimala being tolerant towards every region, welcoming pilgrims from every creed and caste from across the world. However, the place is not free of restrictions as tourists, foreign nationalities and women (between the age of 13 and 50) are barred from entering the premises of the main temple.

On your trip to Sabarimala, you can also visit Vavarunada or the temple of Vavar dedicated to an associate of Ayyappan who was a Muslim by religion, located in the vicinity. Other places of interest around Sabarimala include the existing temples on the each of the hills surrounding Sabarimala, most of which are ruins today, but offer interesting insight into the religious beliefs and temple art of ancient Kerala.

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