My Son’s First Sabirmala Pilgrimage

Shourya puts mala and changed into Sabrimala clothes

Before I start this article, let me admit this is not the first time an 8 and half year old kid has travelled with his father to Sabrimala. Like many other kids, he has gone through 41 days of fast and on the D-Day, he also started day at around 3 am. 

Don’t know what we call the day at 3 am, early morning or midnight. As per Wikipedia - it is called witching hour. From medieval times it is the believed that during this time of the day/night, witches came out to do their "unholy" practices. For him it was not witching hour but Holy Hour as this was time he got up for his life’s first pilgrimage.  

This article is devoted to all those parents who have encouraged the kids to go to Sabrimala at an early age.  Hats off to all those kids who went through the rituals for getting darshan of Lord Ayyapa.

I was skeptical of few things, which I thought would be difficult for him to follow:

Kettunara ceremony

·         How will he go without non veg for 41 days?

·         Will he start his day with tantrums at such early hours?

·         Will he be cranky during the journey as we take break up to visit 4 to 5 temples on the way?

·         Finally will he trek 3 and half kilometres steep road on his own even if he has to wear sandal?

In all these years, whenever I have begun my fast for this Holy Pilgrimage, both Shourya and Leena have joined me in this ritual that lasts for 41 days. Till last year to ensure that Shourya also goes through the fast, we use to avoid eating at our friends’ or relative’s place, as there was a fear of him getting tempted towards non-veg food. And this year we planned to use same strategy, but we landed up at my sister in-law’s place for a family get together and it was unfair to expect others to sacrifice non-veg for three of us. We were expecting that he would sulk for not getting non-veg, but to our surprise, he kept his word of not having non-veg until he visits Sabrimala.

Filling coconut with ghee 

Before we started our journey

As part of the ritual, everyone has to perform Kettunara, wherein Ayyappa Devotees visiting the Sabarimala Temple carry the Irumudi – a specially designed bag with two compartments. This ceremony is referred as Kettunara or Palli Kettu. This ceremony was a day before we began the journey to the Holy Shrine. By the time we winded up it was late in the evening and Shourya could only sleep by midnight. We were very sure that he would throw tantrums and we have to gather all our patience not to scold him since he was going to Sabrimala. Even though he slept only for 3 hours but against all our speculation, he got up with all enthusiasm as if this was his normal pattern of sleeping hours. 

Dakishna to his mom before
he starts journey

When we started journey from home, being his first pilgrimage trip, his enthusiasm kept him awake for longer than regular Sabrimala travellers. After sleeping for 3 hours expecting him to behave normally when he gets up after short naps for visiting temple on the way to Sabrimala was too much. Here he showed how he kept his enthusiasm going by getting up in between for temple visits like any other matured person.

During the final leg of the journey, wherein we needed to trek for 3 and half kilometres, I was prepared to give him sandals so that he climbs up without pain and along with my Irumudi, I was ready to carry his too. In the worst scenario, I was even ready to carry him, as I used to do when he was infant. Come what may, I was mentally prepared to ensure that he gets the blessings of Lord Ayyapa. He not only trekked through this tough terrain with agility but also refused to share his small bag and Irumidi, thus giving an impression as if he has been going through this pain year-on-year and is not a debutant.

Geared for final phase

Normally, in order to make our kids excel in studies, eating food, going out, we parents use either one of the 2Fs: Fear or Force. What inspired me to write Shourya’s first trip to Sabrimala is we didn’t have to use any of the F’s. As the saying goes “Proof of Pudding Is in Eating” - here is the proof of not using any F’s is, as now he wants to visit Sabrimala every year.

What my son did is not very unique, but through this he made me realise how I underestimated him. He might not be able to prove me wrong every time, but being positive and confident about whatever he is doing or ask to do, will also make him positive and confident and get him more successful in life.