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Showing posts from November 24, 2008


Sabarimala Mandala Kalam – Pilgrim season November – December at Ayyappa Temple

Lord Ayyappa gives continues darshan to his devotees for 41-days at Sabarimala Temple during the Mandala Kalam (November – December). For 2023 - 2024 - Sabarimala Temples opens on November 16, 2023 evening and closes on December 27, 2023 after Mandala Puja. The Temple then opens December 30, 2023 for Makaravilakku Puja. The Sabarimala Ayyappa temple remains closed for the major part of a year. So Mandala Kalam is the period chosen by most pilgrims to visit the shrine. The 41-day pilgrim season, also known as Mandala Pooja, attracts millions of devotees to this hill shrine dedicated to Sastha . The pilgrim season begins on the first day of Malayalam month Vrischikam (Mid November) and continues for 41 days. The Mandala Kalam ends during the fag end of December, in the Malayalam month Dhanu. The temple is then closed for a day and reopens for the Makaravilakku season, which ends on January 14 or 15. The temple then opens and conducts pujas only on the first of eve

Coral Rocks sold as Ram Sethu Bridge Rock at Rameshwaram

Ram Sethu, or Ramar Sethu, is the bridge built by the Vanara Sena (Monkey Army) for Lord Ram to crossover to Sri Lanka to rescue Sita from Ravana. The popular belief is that the stones used to build the bridge floats in water. Now scrupulous businessmen are selling coral rocks to devotees claiming that the rocks are a part of the holy Ram Sethu Bridge . Coral rocks tend to float naturally and this makes the pilgrims believe that the rocks are the ones used by Lord Rama's army and buy it at prices ranging from 500 rupees to 1000 rupees. Press Trust of India reports Despite a ban on the trade of coral rocks under the Wild Life and Marine Life Protection Acts, they are being sold at five places – Seetha Theertham, Ram Theertham, Lakshman Theertham, Kandhamadhanaparvam and at an ashram – in the island. Gopinathan, a tourist guide, said they get a nominal commission for each stone sold through them. The stones were even presented to VIPs visiting the island, stating