Friday, January 23, 2009

Footprints and Sabarimala Temple

The connection, comparison and results.

The pilgrimage begins in the month of November and ends in January. The temple attracts pilgrims not only from the southern states of India, but also from other parts of the country and abroad.

So does footprints. Instead of pilgrims, it’s the speakers and audience who come abuzz.

Pilgrims set out in groups under a leader, and each carry a cloth bundle called Irumudi kettu containing traditional offerings.

So does Footprints.The entire faculty are supposed to carry big big boxes. Pigeons to Faculty - The transformation.

According to legend, the temple of Sabarimala and the deity of Ayyappa have always been regarded as the Pandalam Raja's very own. So permission from the King has to be attained before proceeding to the temple.

Exactly like Footprints and faculty.

The vrith can be undertaken only after getting permission from one's parents and Guru. It should be undertaken in such a manner as to cause no inconvenience to one's family.

So is it in Footprints.

The day before the vrith begins, one has to offer prayers to ones' family deity.

So does all the teams religiously.

On the day of the vrith, the devotee rises early, bathes, prays to the family deity and performs a pooja to the holy mala. He will be accompanied to the temple by his Guru and receive his mala from him.

So does footprints and the gurus along with young achievers.

The Thiruvabaranam box contains a diamond crown, golden bracelets, necklaces and a sword. The priests adorn the Lord with these and perform arathi.

For footprints, The box contains blouses, petticoats, coats and suits along with some colourful certificates.

Finally a brilliant light of amazing magnificence appears in the northeastern side to the temple. It is believed that this brilliant flame of light is the arathi performed by the rishis and the devas. This event marks the culmination of the pilgrimage to Sabarimala.

Here it varies - It can be thunder, lightning or showering @##$%$....or else a Kick-AS(s) Event… :)

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