Narayan Ravi - Mumbai

Ayyappa

Erumeli, Kaala Ketti, Pettai Thullal & Erumeli Puthan Veedu.

Erumeli is the starting point of the barefoot yatra for most of the Sabarimala pilgrims, & is located on the border of Kottayam & Pathanamthitta districts. The name Erumeli is derived from the Malayalam words 'Eruma Kolli', meaning 'killing the buffalo', since this is believed to be the place where Lord Ayyappa killed Mahishi, the demoness in the form of a buffalo. There is a place called Kaala Ketti nearby, believed to be the place where Lord Shiva tied his bull Nandi (Kaala meaning bull and ketti means 'to tie') when He came down to watch Lord Ayyappa's fight with Mahishi. Erumeli has 2 Ayyappa temples & a huge mosque dedicated to Vavar. A lively dance called 'Pettai Thullal' is performed in the months of November, December & January, where pilgrims smear themselves with coloured powders, & dance joyfully to the beat of traditional drums, holding small wooden bows & arrows & chanting 'Swami Thinthaka thom, Ayyappa Thinthaka thom'. This dance is performed to commemorate the victory of Lord Ayyappa over Mahishi. Pettai means 'hunting' & 'Thullal' means to jump in joy.

Lord Ayyappa is enshrined here as 'Kiratha Sastha' - Sastha in the form of a hunter. Pilgrims first visit Vavar's mosque, then the small Ayyappa temple & finally the large Ayyappa temple.

Erumeli Puthan Veedu is a centuries old wooden house near the mosque & temples, housing the ancient sword used by Lord Ayyappa to kill Mahishi. Legend has it that Lord Ayyappa arrived at this spot in the dead of the night when He set out to kill Mahishi & saw a lamp burning in this solitary house in the thick forest. An old woman who stayed there alone gave Lord Ayyappa food & shelter for the night while He waited for daybreak to resume His journey. On His return, as a mark of gratitude & reverence for the old lady, Lord Ayyappa is said to have presented His sword to her. Ever since, her descendents have been safeguarding the divine sword in that house. The owners stay in another house next to this one. The Puthan Veedu house was partially gutted in a fire on 18th July 2011, but the wooden room housing the sword miraculously escaped the fire.

May Kiratha Sastha, the divine hunter bless one and all & hunt down all our vices & impurities.

Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa