| Sabarimala Sree Ayyappan Temple | |
|---|---|
 The temple of Ayyappan in Sabarimala, Kerala | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| District | Pathanamthitta |
| Deity | Ayyappan |
| Festivals | Makaravilakku, Makara Sankranti (14th January) |
| Governing body | Travancore Devaswom Board |
| Location | |
| Location | Sabarimala |
| State | Kerala |
| Country | India |
  Sabarimala Temple (Kerala)  Sabarimala Temple (India) | |
| Geographic coordinates | 9°26′04.6″N 77°04′53.0″E / 9.434611°N 77.081389°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Kerala Architecture (Traditional Kerala Vastu Shastra) |
| Creator | As per tradition Vishwakarma, Pandhalam King Rajasekhara, (sculptor) is believed to be Parashurama |
| Completed | 11th century; the temple site is older |
| Elevation | 1,260 m (4,134 ft) |
| Website | |
| sabarimala | |
The Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple[1] (Malayalam pronunciation: [ʃabəɾimala]) is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Ayyappan, who is also known as Dharma Shasta and is the son of the deities Shiva and Mohini (female avatar of the god Vishnu).[2]
The temple is situated atop the Sabarimala hill in the village of Ranni-Perunad, within the Ranni Taluk of the Pathanamthitta district in the state of Kerala, India. The temple is surrounded by 18 hills in the Periyar Tiger Reserve.[3] It is one of the largest annual pilgrimage sites in the world, with an estimate of over 10 to 15 million devotees visiting every year.[4][5][6][7]
The temple is open for worship only during the days of Mandala Pooja (approximately 15 November to 26 December),[8] Makaravilakku or Makara Sankranti (14 January), and Maha Thirumal Sankranti (14 April), and the first five days of each Malayalam month. The Sabarimala Temple serves as a prime example of the amalgamation of several religious traditions within the Indian context.[9]
The temple practises encompassed the prohibition of women between the ages of 10 and 50 years from accessing the temple premises. In 2018, the Supreme Court of India rendered a decision to invalidate the prohibition on female entry inside the temple.
- ^ "Home | Sabarimala". sabarimala.kerala.gov.in. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ "Mohini – The Only Female Avatar of Lord Vishnu". Vedicfeed. 4 August 2019.
- ^ "The Story Of Sabarimala: Origin, Beliefs And Controversy Over Women Entry". NDTV.com. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
- ^ "Why millions throng Sabarimala shrine". DailyBhaskar. 15 January 2011. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
- ^ "Indo-Americans shocked at Sabarimala tragedy". Sify. Archived from the original on 15 May 2011. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
- ^ "Record collection at Sabarimala". The Hindu. 27 December 2014. Archived from the original on 21 October 2018.
- ^ "Women to enter Sabarimala temple today: Weird laws against women from all over the world". India Today. 28 September 2018.
- ^ "Sabarimala Temple Opening Dates 2018 to 2019 – Chennaivision". Chennaivision. 1 January 2018. Archived from the original on 13 January 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
- ^ CK, Faisal (20 November 2018). "Sabarimala epitomises confluence of various faiths in India". National Herald. Retrieved 2 November 2023.