A strange and fascinating series of divine events led to the birth of Manikanthan.
Manikanthan had a glorious destiny. At the end of a life full of dramatic events, Lard Parashuama himself sculpted and installed an idol of him in the hill temple of Shabari. There, as Lard Ayyappan, he is worshipped as the presiding deity of the entire hill range.
This lone temple on the top of the Shabari hills, deep in the forests of Kerala, attracts millions of devotees from all over the country every year. They travel through dense forests full of wild animals, over steep hills and in inclement weather to obtain his ‘darshan’ (a glimpse) on Makara Sankranthi day (which falls on 14th January each year). It is said that the Lord comes down to the Shabari Hills on Makara Sankranti in the form of light to give ‘darshan’ to his innumerable devotees and himself lights the temple lamp. Then in a moving and beautiful ritual the pilgrims partake of the ‘prasad’ and walk backwards down the eighteen steps, their faces turned towards the Lord, shining with devotion and ecstasy. |
