DR.

RAJU MUNJANAD MATHEW*

 Though there are several Myths and Folklores of Sabari,
Ayyappa, Vaver and Malikapuram of Sabarimala, they
were real life characters lived and died or murdered in
the present Sabarimala and the surrounding areas,
including Nilakkal, near River Pampa in Kerala, India,
during thirteenth century AD. It also tells the complete
cleansing of Buddhism and the spread of Islam &
Christianity and emergence of Nairs, Ezhavas, Pulayas &
Tribal Malayarayas, besides Brahamanical Hinduism in
Kerala.
 The present work is an attempt to explore the history of
Sabarimala and Ayyappa based on the available
knowledge. A more scientific historical work , giving
citations and references, can be brought out. This work
may inspire historians, sociologists, and artists to bring
out several works, including cinema, drama, fiction,
poems and etc.
 In the light of the Verdict of the
Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court
of India, allowing women having child-
bearing potentialities and the subsequent
agitations of the Conservative Hindu
Fundamentalists against the Supreme Court
Verdict, even mobilizing their women, it is
pertinent to go through the earlier and
modern history of Sabarimala and Ayyappa
over above the existing myths, folklores,
and traditional beliefs or practices.
 The history of Sabarimala, originally known as
Karimala, as a Buddhist Center of Learning,
Meditation and Pilgrimage, was started with
the rise of Munjanad Kingdom by the middle of
the thirteenth century AD, with its capital at
Nilakkal in the valley of Sabarimala near the
River Pampa, earlier known as River Karimala,
in Kerala, India. Munjanad Kingdom was
extended over the borders of Tamilakam and
Kodungallor and had marriage relationships
with Pandalam Kingdom and Zamurians of
Calicut.
 Under the patronage of Munjanad Kings,
Nilakkal had emerged as a major center of
trade and culture, even attracting traders of
spices, herbs and forest products from China,
Ceylon, Egypt, Syria, Babylon and Arabia who
travelled through Cranganure or Museries
Port, using the ever flowing Pampa River.
 Munjanad Kingdom became very much
prosperous, densely populated and well
known far ahead off Pandalam, Pandinad and
Andhranad that made them jealousy of it.
 Even though Munjanad Kings were Hindus following
Sanathana Dharma, in stead of worshiping either Vishnu
or Siva, they gave patronage to the Jains from
Tamilakam, the Buddhists from Ceylon and also the Jews
and the Arab Muslims and Christians.
 Those foreigners were allowed to make small
settlements, including their temples or places of
worship, to marry native women, besides engaging in
trade in spices and forest products of the
conglomeration of eighteen hills. Consequent on the
missionary zeal of the Buddhists, Yoga, Ayurveda,
Tribal Medicine, Kalaripayattu and Kalari Medicine
became popular among the people.
 By the end of the thirteenth century AD, the
Munjanad Kingdom welcomed a large number of
Tamil Muslims consequent on religious
prosecution, and allowed them to set up their
colony called ‘Petta” near River Manimala in the
bank of a stream ‘Peruthode’, and another one
in the bank of Meenachil River near Arivthara
where two rivers join together, known as
‘Erattu Petta’. The Buddhists were permitted to
build up their colonies besides temples, known
as ‘Pally” and their schools,knownas
‘Pallykoodums’ at Kanjirappally, Koovappally,
Monippally, Vazappally,,Thathampply and etc
 For the whole hearted support of the Munjanad
Kingdom, the Buddhists had established their
Temple, Monastery and School at the top of
Karimala Hill, under Sabari, a Buddhist lady monk
and scholar well versed in Yoga, Meditation,
Ayurveda and Martial art. All other Buddhist
centers in Kerala, suffixed with ‘Pally’ or ‘Oor’,
including Kodugalloor and Gurvayoor, came under
it.
 Buddhist monks and Chinese and Arab Travellers,
had visited and stayed at Karimala. Hindus,
Muslims, Jewish, Buddhist and Christians boys and
girls were admitted as students and some of them
had later served the Munjanad Kingdom.
 Every house hold in the Kingdom, including
that of Hindus, Muslims and Christians, had
set up its own pond, well, farm and herbal
garden known as ‘sarpakave’ and even a
kalari.
 For the missionary zeal of the Buddhist
monks, Ayurveda & Kalari Medicine and
rearing of cows, goats, hens and cokes had
become very popular, that spread to other
kingdoms also.
 Ayyappa was born as the son of a Prince of Pandlam
Kingdom married to a Princes of Munjanad Kingdom,
named Pampa about AD 1275 in the Pandalam Palace.
The Palace astrologers found something extraordinary
with the child that made the King and Queen suspicious
of the child.
 Ayyappa at his early teens outsmarted the son of
Pandlam King and other princes in the Pandalam palace
in every respect. Most of the ministers and the palace
officials had started to suspect and mistreat the young
Ayyappa in which his father and mother could do
nothing other than silent witnesses. However, they had
intimated the pathetic condition of their child to the
palace to the Munjanad King that led to the exile of
Ayyappa from Pandlam Kingdom for ever.
 Both the Pandalam King and Queen, as
cautioned by the Ministers, feared that
Ayyappa would capture the power,
overthrowing the King, when he would grow
up. So they plotted against Ayyappa and
decided to leave him in the thick forest to be
eaten by hungry wolfs or tigers.
 By knowing the criminal conspiracy of the
King and Queen, Ayyappa, disguised as a
Buddhist boy named Sasthave, was secretly
sent by his mother, Pampa, to the Munjanad
Kingdom with the request of keeping him
under the care of Sabari.
 Knowing the threat, the king of Munjanad secretly put the
boy Ayyappa under the care of Sabari at Karimala for
education and training, disguised as a Buddhist boy named
Sasthave. Princes Neelima of the Munjanad Kingdom, Vaver,
a Muslim boy and Matthai, a Christian boy were also
students there. Sasthave or Ayyappa was the most brilliant
student.
 After attaining mastery in Sanathana Dharma and Buddhist
Dharma, Yoga , Ayurveda and Martial Art of Kalaripayattu,
Ayyappa along with Princes Neelima returned to the palace
of Munjanad King where he was known as Prince Sasthave.
Ayyappa and Neelima throughout their life remained true
devotees of Sabari who was also respectfully called ‘Sabari
Matha’ or ‘Sabari Devi’.
 The name and fame of Prince Sasthave spread across the
land and the neighboring Kingdom of Pandalam after
defeating the invading fierce Pandiyan army. The
enemies came there to loot the Kingdom using hundreds
of buffalo carts. The enemies were forced to retreat
towards the Muslim settlement where Vaver mobilized
his Muslim army to support his friend, Sasthave.

 Ayyappa and Vaver together defeated the invading

looters, besides killing their buffalos or ‘erumakal’.
Sasthave and his men made a victory Parade at Muslim
settlement, ‘Erumely Petta’. The annual celebration of
the remembrance of the victory parade of Ayyappa later
became ‘Erumely Pettakettu’ jointly celebrated by
Ayyappa Devotees, Muslims and Christians. The Muslims
declared Sasthave as their protector.
 Princes Neelima, the daughter of the Munjanad
King, fall in love with Sasthave or Ayyappa and they
were about to marry. The King of Pandalam Kingdom
got angry and revengeful towards the Kingdom of
Munjanad for protecting Ayyappa and making him a
disciple of Sabari in the disguise as a Buddhist under
the name of Sasthave and declared war with
Munjanad Kingdom.
 Ayyappa with the help of the armies of his friends
Waver and Matthai, defeated and destroyed a
sizable portion of the invading army of the Pandalam
Kingdom. The revengeful king of Pandalam executed
the father and mother of Ayyappa.
 Munjanad Kingdom had trade relationship with the
Zamurian, the king of Kozhikode. Buddhist
monks from Lanka, Malayattoor, Perumpavoor,
Kodugallor, Ponnani, Thiroor, and Dharmadam
used to visit Munjanad Kings and stayed at
Karimala.
 On the request of the Zamurian, a Young Prince
of Munjanad Kingdom, who was a student of
Sabari had married the only daughter of the
Zamurian and later became the Zamurian of
Kozikode. He even appointed some of the well
trained Muslim warriors of the Munjanad Kingdom
in the service of Zamurian Kingdom. Kunjali
Marakkar was their decent.
 When Sabari was very sick, she called Ayyappa and
made him as the head of the Buddhist Monastery
and Temple before her death designating him as
Dharma Sasthave. Being the head of the
monastery and temple, Ayyappa had to observe
celibacy and he could not marry Princes Neelima.

 After the death of Sabari, Ayyappa named the

Buddhist Temple, Monastery and Seminary
Complex at Karimala as Sabarimala. He even
constructed a shrine in her name and made her
the deity of Sabarimala. After knowing the
execution of his mother, Ayyappa named River
Karimala as River Pampa in the memory of his
mother, Pampa.
 As soon as Ayyappa was made as the head of
the Buddhist monastery, Princes Neelima
opted to live like a Buddhist monk, totally
secluded in a separate room on the upstairs
of the palace also known as ‘malika’ and she
came to be known as ‘Malikapuram’.
 By knowing the pathetic condition of Princes
Neelima,, Ayyappa invited her to Sabarimala
and made her to serve the disciples and
devotees and practice Ayurveda. Gradually,
she had grown to the level of Sabari.
 Malikapuram remained unmarried till her death
serving the disciples and devotees at Sabarimala,
staying in a separate small house. Everybody
respectfully called her ‘Malikapurathamma’. She
even visited and treated Vaver at Erumely when he
was sick, staying in a small house near the Muslim
temple. Later, the Muslim temple came to be
known as ‘ Vaverupally‘ and the house in which
Malikapurathamma stayed came to be known as
Kochambalam or Malikapuram Temple’.
 Pandalam Kingdom made a series of
lootings and attacks of the Munjanad
Kingdom for supporting Sabarimala and
Ayyappa. Consequently most of the
precious wealth of the Munjanad Kingdom
had been kept in the secret chambers of
the Buddhist temple at Sabarimala. The
Buddhist monks, disciples and students of
Sabarimala rendered whole hearted
support and protection to the King and
Palace on the direction of Dharmasastha.
 Consequently, Munjanad King and most of his
subjects embraced Buddhism and the Kingdom of
Munjanad became the first Buddhist kingdom in
Kerala. Buddhists were encouraged to set up their
settlements, including their temples known as Pally
not only in the country but even other parts of
Kerala. Buddhist way of life, including Ayurveda
and Kalary, spread across Kerala.

 Places of the Buddhist settlements were known

ending with ‘pally’ or ‘oor’, such as Chenganoor,
Punaloor, Paliyoor, Adoor, Malayatoor, Perunpavoor,
Gurvayoor, Mamiyoor, Tiroor, Trichoor, Kannoor and
etc. or Kanjirappally, Kollappally, Karthikappally,
Karunagappally, Chittlappally, Monippally,
Thathampally, and etc.
 The total conversion of the entire Munjanad
Kingdom and its people to Buddhism had provoked
the Hindu kings of Pandalam, Pandinad and
Andhranad . One of the ministers of the Munjanad
Kingdom who was not happy to become a Buddhist,
plotted against the Kingdom and joined hands with
the Pandalam Kingdom to fight against Buddhism.
He was instrumental in mobilizing the support
Pandinad and Andhranad against the Munjanad
Kingdom.
 They jointly declared war with Munjanad Kingdom
as part of total cleansing of Buddhism from Kerala,
including Kodugalloor, Malayatoor, Trichoor, Tiroor,
Guruvayoor, Dharmadam, Kanoor, Thrikannapuram,
Karumady, Karunagappally, Karthikapply,
Monippally and etc..
 During the fierce war, the revengeful invaders
murdered the King and put fire on Sabarimala. Ayyappa
and Malikapurathamma were burned alive and
Sabarimala was looted and destroyed without any
traces.
 The victorious army of the Pandalam King destroyed
the palace and looted the precious gold and diamond
ornaments of Princes Neelima that had been kept there
on the direction of Ayyappa and carried them to
Pandlam in two boxes.
 They also carried out massive attacks, lootings and
rapes of the households of the Buddhists and even
murdered many. Many women were made captives and
sex-slaves.
 After knowing the great famine in Tamilakam and Andhranad and the
collapse of their countries, the Hindu Fighters of those countries and
their Brahmin priests, refused to return to their countries and the
Pandalam king was forced to allow them to setup their colony in a low
laying muddy area called Thazhamon and to marry the captive
Buddhist women, called ‘Achies’ . The ownership of those women, had
been wrested with the Princes and Nampoothiries of Pandalam who
could enter their houses at any time. Some of the captive Buddhist
women were made sex slaves known as ‘Devadasis” or ‘Koothachies’.
 The Tamil and Andhra Brahmins remained very poor. The pathetic
condition of the Brahmin family of Thazhamon was brought to the
notice of the King who appointed its male members as the Palace
priests with food and cloth allowances. The people called the Andhra
and Tamil military men as ‘Nayakers’ and gradually they came to be
known as Nairs who had been treated like Sudras. However, they served
the powerful Namboothirs and Potties besides local chiefs as fighters or
warriors, for their livelihoods. .
 However, the Pandalam palace priests and
astrologers predicted the decline of the Kingdom
and prohibited the use the gold ornaments of
Prince Neelima and looted items of Munjanad
Palace. The king sought the help of the Andhra
Brahmins for remedy and special sacrifices. In spite
of all those rituals, the blood stains of Sabarimala
and Nilakkal haunted the Kingdoms of Pandalam,
Pandinad and Andhranad, leading to their decline
and collapse.
 With the fall of Munjanad Kingdom and the destruction
of Sabarimala, the survived Buddhists made a mass
exodus to neighboring areas, including Ranni,
Thiruvella, Chenganoor, Changanacherry, Kottayam,
Kanjriappally, Pala, Thodupuza, Moovattupuzha,
Perumpavoor, Kalady and Malayattoor under several
groups. Those who migrated to Kottayam along with a
prince set up ‘Munjanad Kingdom at Thazathnagadi
when they became powerful. Some of the survivors
found shelter in the thick forests and became forest
tribes in different names such as Malayarans, Ulladens
and Malapandarams. Gradually, Sabarimala and Nilakkal
turned into thick forests occupied by wild tigers, wolfs
and elephants.
 Brutal religious prosecution of the Buddhists had been carried
out. In order to escape from religious prosecution, some of
the Buddhists embraced either Islam or Christianity and lived
like Arab Muslims or Christians from Syria who had been
given special privilege and protection by the Chera Kings.
Thereafter, Christians were known as Nazranies or Vadukars
or Syrian Christians as they were under Bishops from Syria
and Muslims as Turks or ‘Thulukars’ for their Turkish
connection. Both Muslims and Christians were together called
as ‘Mopilas’. However, they followed some of their old
Buddhist traditions and culture, including white long dress,
Kalari and Ayurveda, trade and agriculture and they even
called their temples as ‘Pallies’, as Buddhists called their
temples as Pallies and schools as Pallykoodum.
 An ardent group of Buddhists dared to remain
Buddhists and moved towards Kanjirappally and set
up their colony at Parathode in Kanjirappally with
some of the treasures of Sabarimala.
 Nevertheless, a sizable number of Buddhists had not
converted either to Islam or Christianity, but
remained non-practicing Buddhists engaged in
agriculture and rearing domestic animals and they
came to be known as Ezhavas or Theyas or Chovers
specializing in farming, coconut climbing and toddy
making.
 Those Buddhists who were working in the mud and
engaging in butchery were called as Pulayas and
Parayas or Chermers.
 In Kerala there are several Places and
Families suffixed with the term ‘Pally’
showing their Buddhist roots. Place names
such as ‘Koovappally’, Kanjrappally,
Thathampally, Monippally …are some of the
examples.
 The Buddhist roots of the several Hindu,
Muslim and Christian Families in Kerala can
be found in their family names such as
Vellappally, Kadakampally, Pittappilly,
Koippally, Kollappally, Chittilappally,
Kallampally, Kokkappally and so many
others.
 Later, the Brahmins became influential
landlords and temple priests making Nairs
their servants and guards or warriors. Some
of the Nair women became very influential
over rich Brahmin landlords and they became
powerful landlords.
 The rich Nair women had kept their men
without any property ownership rights.
Gradually, the Nairs earned upper status in
the society just below the Brahmins.
 Ezhavas and Pulayas were considered impure
and untouchables. However, Christians and
Muslims had been given special status in the
society for their money power and trade
contacts.
 On every 14th day of January, the
Makarasankrathy day on which Ayyappa and
Malikapurthamma were brutally murdered,
some of the daring and Sabari or Ayyappa
devotee Buddhist, Ezhava, Pulaya,
Malayaraya, Muslim and Christian men and
women, used to make annual pilgrimages in
the temple of Dharma Sasthave and
Malikapurthamma at Sabarimala. In order to
hide their Buddhist roots they dressed with
black cloth instead of their usual white dress,
calling each other ‘Ayyappa or Ayyappa
Swamy’ and chanting ‘Dharma Manthras’
 After the brutal murder of the Munjanad King,
Ayyappa and Malikapurthamma, everybody in the
Pandalam kingdom considered that they had the curse
of Sabari, Dharma Sasthave and Malikapurathamma, as
there were series of tragedies in the Pandalam Palace
.
 Nobody in the Pandalam Palace dared even to touch
the bounty of Sabarimala as everybody believed that
it would bring doom to the Kingdom. As a remedy, it
was decided to construct temples for Sabari, Dharma
Sasthave and Malikapurathamma each separately . As
repentance, it was decided to carry out the gold
ornaments of Princes Neelima, calling it as
‘Thiruvabhaaranam’ to Sabarimala during
Makarasankrathi Day and return it to Pandalam Palace.
 The forest tribes settled at Ponnamabala Medu,
near Sabarimala became the Custodians and
Tantries or Priests who used honey collected from
eighteen hills, for rituals. They used to put a big
pier, danced around it and chanted Ayyappa
Manthras on Makara Sankranthi day remembering
the burning alive of Ayyappa and
Malikapurathamma.
 The Sabarimala pilgrims, after Erumely Pettakuttu,
reached at the top of Sabarimala and they
considered the light of the pier at Ponnamabala
Medu something divine and called it Makara Joythi
or Makara Vilakku.
 Sabarimala pilgrims, including young women carried
head-loads of food and religious articles, especially
ghee-filled coconut, in a twin black cloth bag.
chanting Dharma Manthras, wearing black cloths and,
long beads after forty one days of preparations,
including prayers, celibacy and strict vegetarian food,
Ayyappa devotees performed the Sabarimala
pilgrimage in one of the two occasions. It was
customary for the pilgrims to say goodbye to the
family members and friends, as there was no
guarantee of safe return from Sabarimala due to man
eating animals and notorious thieves and criminals on
their route .
 The devotees, chanting Dharma and Ayyappa Manathras,
such as ‘Swamy Saranam and Ayyappa Saranam entered in
Sabarimala in small groups. The women pilgrims were
respectfully called as ‘Malikapurams’. In order to reach
Sabarimala, one had to walk several days through thick
forests without any road or other facility, risking the life
and facing wild tigers, elephants and deadly poisonous
snakes. Only daring women devotees used to make
pilgrimage to Sabarimala.
 The Sabarimala Ayyappa devotees used to stay one or two
days at Nilakkal, in different small groups under the
direction of elderly persons, called Guru Swamies, well
versed in religious practices and the safest forest route,
through Erumely, visiting Vaverupally and Kochambalam.
The Muslims and Christians in Erumely used to treat
Ayyappa devotees or Sabarimala Pilgrims as their guests
and rendered all help and support to them till Erumely
and Sabarimala had developed with transportable roads,
restaurants and hotels.
 However, ardent Hindus, including Nairs and
Brahmins had not been visiting Sabarimala for
their religious and historical hate towards
Buddhism. The untouchable Ezhavas, Pulayas and
Forest Tribes besides the Muslims and Christians
considered Sabarimala as their ancestral
pilgrimage Centre, Sabari their Deity and
Ayyappa their own Protector and
Malikapurathmma their Goddess without any
caste or religion. Women pilgrims of all ages or
castes or religions used to visit Sabarimala and
had respectfully been called as ‘Malikapurams’
having special privileges. Nobody dared to do
any harm or disrespect to them.
 Modern History of Sabarimala started with the rise of
the Kingdom of Travancore with Marthandavarma as
king from 1729 to 1758 AD under the Dewanship of
Ramayyan Dalwa. The Travancore Kingdom spread
across Periyar to Cape Comerin after defeating and
annexing Kingdoms of Kayamkulam, Mavelikkara,
Elayadth Swarrompam, Quilon, Thazathangadi, and
Cochin . He even put Zamorins of Calicut under
threat. Without any war, Pandalam king surrendered
before Marthandavarma and became one of his
Principalities for its financial and administrative
crises and recurring misfortunes.
 Ramayyan Dalawa , Prime Minister of Marthandavarma
defeated the Nampoothiries having armies of Nairs. Some of
the defeated Nampoothiries and Nairs converted to
Christianity. From Pandalam King, Marthandavarma came to
know about the vast treasures of the erstwhile Munjanad
Kingdom kept in the secret chambers of Sabarimala, the
Buddhist pilgrimage center and another sizable share with
the Buddhist settlement at Parathode in Kanjirappally.
Marthandavarma sent his army to take possession of the great
treasures of Sabarimala and Buddhist settlement at
Kanjirappally and eliminated all the traces of Buddhism in
Sabarimala, Nilakkal, Kanjirappally and even Malayattoor.
 In its search for the hidden treasures at Sabarimala, the
Travancore army with the support of the Pandalam Palace
destroyed all remaining structures of Nilakkal and
Sabarimala, except a statue of meditating Buddha mistaken
as Shiva and finally unearthed several box full of precious
metals, gold coins and ornaments. Then the army moved to
destroy the Buddhist settlement at Kanjirappally and loot
the precious wealth. After a prolonged war, the army had
defeated the Buddhists in Kanjirappally and taken
possession of the vast treasures kept in several boxes.
Travancore army had transported all the treasure boxes to
the Travancore Palace at Anthapuram or Trivandrum.
 A series of tragic incidents had happened in the Palace,
including the king’s sleepless nights, terrifying dreams,
frequent falls from the royal couch, a serious wound
during royal hunting and chronic illness of the queen. On
the advices of the palace priests and astrologers,
Marthandavarma decided to shift the entire treasures of
Sabarimala and Kanjirappally and keep them in the secret
cells of the chambers of the Padbhanabha Swami Temple,
Thiruvanathapuram as something haunted or cursed.
 During the time of Ramayyan Delava, the Prime Minister of Travancore
under Marthandavarma, attempts had been made to convert
Sabarimala as a pure Hindu Temple and Pilgrimage Centre making use
of Hindu Mythologies and Ayyappa as a mythological entity, taking
away his Buddhist root . Accordingly, Ayyappa was presented as the
son of the Union between two Hindu male gods, Siva and Vishu and
projected as the destroyer of Mahishasura, demon looked like a
buffalo so as to prevent the arrival of Buddhists during
Makarasankranthi day.
 Ramayyan Delava wanted to have a direct control
over the forest wealth and spices of the Central
Travancore and he nationalized trade of spices and
forest products. He appointed Mathen Taraken of
Munjand family as the local chief and the custodian
of the spices and the forest wealth, including that of
Sabarimala region. Ramayyan Delava constructed a
Siva Temple in Nilakkal and appointed some
employees there. However, the Kerala and Tamil
Brahmins refused to perform as priests in Sabarimala
and Nairs refused to enter Sabarimala even during
Makarasankarathi.
 By knowing that a large number of Christians, Thiyas and
Pulayas of Buddhist root had been performing pilgrimage
to the Malayatoor Hill, Ramayyan Delava encouraged
Christians to convert it as a Christian Pilgrimage Center.
Mythology related to the prayer and meditation of
St.Thomas, one of the disciples of Jesus had been
attributed to the Malayatoor Hill, had been crafted and
made popular even though the pilgrims used to climb to
the top chanting Buddha Manthra as ‘Muthappan Saranam’
in stead of ‘Ayyappa Saranama’ at Sabarimala. Christians
and Hindus used to climb the top of the hill during the eve
of Easter
 Assoon as Sir C.P. Ramasway Iyer became
the Deleva of Travancore, he made
strenuous efforts to cut off the minutest
Buddhist traces of Sabarimala and Ayyappa
by placing the King of Pandalam as the
foster father of Ayyappa and elevated
Ayyappa to the status of a Hindu deity and
even constructed a Hindu temple making
Ganapathi and Malikapurthamma as sub-
deities. He prohibited Ezhavas, Pulayas and
Forest Tribal people to perform as priests
or tantries of Sabarimala but only
Brahmins.
 Since Brahmins from Kerala refused to serve
Sabarimala, one Brahmin family of Andhra origin
called Thazathumon was appointed as the Tantry of
Sabarimala and later Kerala Brahmins were made as
priests of Nilakkal and Sabarimala. C.P. Ramasway
Iyer encouraged Nairs in large numbers to perform
pilgrimage to Sabarimala. Daring young women
devotees used to visit Sabarimala as ‘Malikapurms’,
after observing fasting and vegetarianism and walking
through deep forest tracks, though it involves great
risk, including tiger attacks and sexual harassment by
the criminals. Gradually the number of women
pilgrims had been reduced considerably.
 However, the Kerala High Court prohibited women having
menstrual cycle or childbearing age to visit Sabarimala in
its verdict in 1990 that has been recently revoked by the
Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court of India. The
verdict indirectly challenged the ownership right of
Pandalam Royal family and the Sabarimala Tantri or Priest
Family from Andhra over Sabarimala. They instigated
conservative Hindus in Kerala, including women, to
protest violently against Supreme Court Verdict
permitting women of all ages to enter Sabarimala as
something against Hinduism and Sabarimala practices.
Political parties like BJP and Congress rushed to make use
of it for their political advantages.
 Sabarimala Agitation against the entry of young
women has turned violent having several legal and
political consequences and gone out of the control
as well as that of BJP and RSS that exploited it
effectively for their political agenda.
 Criminals and even well trained Islamic State
fighters disguised as ‘ Ayyappa Devotees’ have been
attacking old women pilgrims and children as the
Protectors of Ayyappa and Sabarimala, along with
conservative caste Hindus.
 The caste Hindus aim at the end of Sabarimala as a
pilgrim center without any caste or religion for its
Buddhist root but to bring it under the ownership
of Pandalam Palace and Thazhamon Brahmin Tantry
family and thereby of caste Hindus, defeating the
claims of Malayarayas,Pulayas and Ezhavas over
Sabarimala.
 It is hoped and prayed that Sabarimala and Ayyappa
do remain free from any caste or religion or
political controversy or violence or bloodshed.
 Sabarimala and Ayyappa are the embodiment of
Humanism, Universality and Spirituality of
Sanathana Dharma rooted in the Buddhist Yoga and
Dharma for realizing ‘Thathwamasi’ or ‘ Aham
Brahmasmi’.
 True Ayyappa Devotees and Sabarimala Pilgrims are
the Champion of Peace & Harmony when they
realized ‘Thathwamasi’ and Universal Spirituality
embedded with the Nature.
 Sabarimala is the embodiment of Culture and Socio-
Economic-Political Life of Kerala. It is a confluence of
several streams of faiths and religions such as
Buddhism and Hinduism as well as Islam and
Christianity, besides incorporating Ezhavas, Pulayas
and Malayarayas into the main stream of the Kerala
Society.
 Ayyappa, emerged as Dharmasastha, represents
Sanathana Dharma and higher Hindu & Buddhist Yoga
and Meditation.
 The principle deities of Sabarimala are Sabari,
Dharmasastha and Malikapurathamma, and Vaverswamy
as a sub-deity with Malayarayas as the Tantries.
 However, later Siva and Ganesh had been extrapolated
in Sabarimala besides the Brahmin Tantries of
Thazhamon as part of the strategy of Brahmanization
of Ayyappa and Sabarimala and bringing Sabarimala
under control of high caste Hindus and their rigid
patriarchal system even preventing young women.
 This write up is based on what I have read on Ancient Kerala
History, my discussions with Professors M.G.S. Narayanan,
Rghava Warrior and M. M. Purushotaman Nair of Calicut
University besides, some members of Zamurian family,
Calicut , elder members of my paternal Munjanad family,
Kanjirappally and maternal Mannoor family at Pala. On the
basis of new evidences, it can be modified.

 This can be used for bringing out attractive mega films and
TV programs as Sabarimala has attracted global attention.
Further research must be conducted to explore the hidden
chapters of the local History of Kerala, including
Sabarimala.
 On the basis of his book published from UK in 1981, Dr. R. M. Mathew
was nominated to two international expert committees,, having
consultative status with UN & UNESCO, as the youngest member in
1983. In 1985, he formulated two basic theories on Knowledge
Consumption & Production, now known as Mathew’s Theories of
Knowledge, published from Moscow. They have become an area for
doctoral research works. In 2005, Dr. Mathew propounded
Knowmatics, Cybernetics of Knowledge.
 Dr. Mathew has supervised 12 doctoral works based on the Vedas &
Upanishads, the Bible & Quran, Ayurveda & Tribal Medicine, Higher
Education Management, IT & Kerala Development. Dr. Mathew writes
extensively on Global Economic Crisis, Islamic Terrorism, Education
and Information Technology. Most of his works have wider
readership and appeared over eight languages, including Arabic,
Chinese, …..
Twitter@drrajumathew,
 Linkedin: https://ae.linkedin.com/in/munjanad
 https://www.slideshare.net/drrajumathew/y
oga-for-happiness-realizing-sanathana-
dharma
 https://www.slideshare.net/drrajumathew/s
anathana-dharma-10883064