Places to visit near Sabarimala Pilgrimage
The pilgrimage to Sabarimala has turned out to be a model place of worship for the whole world. The most significant aspect of this pilgrimage is the pilgrims whether rich or poor, learned or illiterate, holding high position or not, are all equal before the Lord and all address one other as Ayyappa Swamy.
Sabarimala is a mountain of Sabari a most famous religious destination in Kerala situated in dense forest on the banks of holy river Pampa. The temple town of Sabarimala stands for a symbol of love, equality and religious devotion.
Pilgrim centers near Sabarimala:
Prathasarathi temple
Thekekudi Cave Temple
Kodumon Chilanthiyambalam
Malayolappuzha
Pandalam
Thiruvalla
Pamba
Aranmula
Kaviyoor
Aranmula Vallamkali
Perunthenaruvy
Bhagawathi temple
Parthasarathi temple:
The Prathasarathi temple is dedicated to lord Krishna. It is believed that the idol of lord Krishna is erected by Arjuna when Lord Krishna appeared in his “viswaroopa” at the time of “Getthopadesom. This Prathasarathi temple is an ancient temple situated on the banks of the holy river Pamba. Every year the honor of installation of the deity falls on last day of the Onam festival. There will be an enthralling Aranmula boat races conducted as a part of this celebration.
Thekekudi Cave Temple, Kaviyoor:
Kaviyoor is famous for Kaviyoor Mahadeva temple constructed during 10th century in the Pallava architectural style. It is one of the glorious cave temples in Kerala. The square cave of the temple has a feet high Shivalinga carved out of rock, gods Ganapathi, Maharshi and Dwarapalakas. There is also an idol of Hanuman in this temple. It is believed that Darusilpas adorning the temple premises date back to the 17th century. Kaviyoor was earlier known as Papiyoor.
Kodumon Chilanthiyambalam Temple:
Chilanthiyambalam temple is an ancient temple built by the last emperor of Sakthibhadra kingdom. The beauty of this lies in the dense forests situated in the Kodumon village. In this Chilanthiyambalam temple deity Mahalakshmi is worshipped. Chilanthikinar, a well inside the temple premises, is regarded as a magic potion for skin diseases.
Bhagawathi temple:
The Bhagawathi temple is well known for its artistic stones and exquisite wall paintings. People bring offerings in different forms during the festival season.
Nilackal Temple:
This Nilackal temple is an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Siva, located on the Pamba-Plappally. It is a glorious temple. The place also is holds a famous Ecumenical center.
Valiayakoyikkal Temple:
Pandalam is a second sacred and significant place in Sabarimala, which is associated with the early childhood days of Lord Ayyappa. At this place a very famous temple called Valiayakoyikkal temple is situated, on the Sabarimala Shrine, constructed by King of Pandalam. People offer prayers before proceeding to Sabarimala.
Pamba:
This is a holy place on the way to Sabarimala temple located on the banks of River Pamba where King Rajashekara found infant Lord Ayyappa. Devotees call it “Dakshina Ganga”, as a dip in this holy river is said to purify oneself from all the evils of the world.
Kadamanitta Devi Temple:
The Kadammanitta Devi temple is famous for “Padayani” which means formations or rows of army. In this temple of Kadammanitta Devi temple the most significant ritual art is performed in the premises. The ritual Padayani is considered as an offering for mother Goddess like Bhairavi(Kali), Kolam(god of death), Yakshi(Fairy), Pakshi(Bird), this art form is too vibrant and captivating for its spectators. This small village, located just 8km from Patthanamthitta town, celebrates its 10-day long festival from the first day of Medam.