When you look at the picture above, you probably see two seemingly overloaded lorries/trucks. Look closer and you will see that on the left, are a group of people and what seems like smoke.
 |
| Pilgrims wearing black ‘mundus.’ |
Smoke it is. And the people in the picture are preparing their lunch at a roadside make shift open-air kitchen. These men are pilgrims on their way to Sabarimala. And those who embark on this journey do so after a fast during which they stop eating non-vegetarian food and even abstain from love-making. They prefer to wear a black mundu (a sarong-like piece of clothing) during this period. As part of the fast, they do not cut their hair or shave their beards or even pare their nails. They are usually particular about the food they eat. It is supposed to have been prepared by someone who has had a morning bath — not to mention — only by someone who is not menstruating. As such, many of them, when on the road would rather set camp on the roadside and cook up a meal than grab a bite at a restaurant.
Sabarimala is a hill-top temple in Pathanamthitta in Kerala, India. Sabarimala is a popular place of Hindu pilgrimage that sees thousands maybe even millions of people flocking to it when its nadas (temple gates) are open.
To know more about the pilgrimage you might want to visit my blogger friend Ramakrishnan Ramanathan’s post ‘Pilgrimage to Sabarimalai’ on his blog Ramblings and Musings.
One of my friends goes to Sabarimala every year and goes though all the steps very diligently. I just don't have that kind of discipline
Yes, it does call for a lot of discipline. 🙂
Headed there next month. 🙂
Oh yeah?
I wish you a safe and pleasant Mala-yatra. 🙂
Hi Divya You may like to read my post on Sabarimala : http://sankriti.blogspot.ie/2014/10/pilgrimage-to-sabarimalai.html
I would love to Ram.
Coming by soon. 🙂
Thank you so much.
Haven't heard about it and thanks for sharing. Share some pictures of the place as well.
It's a popular place of pilgrimage for South Indians, Saru. If you visit in November, December or Jan, you are likely to see a lot of people in dressed in black and sporting a beard in preparation for the pilgrimage.
I don't have pictures of the temple. I've been there long back, my dad took me there before I could turn 5, I guess. Did you know that we women are not allowed to visit the bachelor deity until we hit the Menopause milestone? 🙂 Yeah.
A very popular temple indeed..
Indeed. 🙂
Interesting post!
Thank you, Betty.
My brother visited this temple several times..Very powerful god..Thanks for the post Divya 🙂
Hey Nagini.
It is quite a popular place of pilgrimage among South Indians, right? 🙂
Thanks for sharing, gives a fairly clear idea about Sabarimala.
Best essay writing service reviews
Thank YOU for stopping by.
Thank YOU for stopping by.