Where and How to make offerings at Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple?

Each Ayyappa devotee carries numerous holy items in his Irumudi Kettu as offerings to the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple. The most important puja items carried by a devotee are coconut, ghee-filled coconut, rice, karpooram, agarbathi, bananas, turmeric etc. Each item in the irumudi kettu has to be offered in the designated place. Here is brief idea on where and how to make offerings at Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple.

Coconut – minimum two

The first coconut is broken at the Pampa Ganapati Temple. The second coconut is broken before climbing the Pathinettam Padi or the eighteen holy steps.

Some devotees also break a coconut after completing the darshan at the base of Pathinettam Padi.

Those devotees undertaking thenga uruttal or the rolling of coconut at Malikappuram Temple should carry another coconut.

Neyythenga or coconut filled with ghee

The ghee in the coconut is offered for Neyyabhishekam. If there is a group then you can collect the ghee from all the coconut in a vessel and offer it at the temple. Otherwise you can pour the ghee in a vessel provided inside the main temple complex.

The pieces of Neyythenga should be thrown into the huge fire bowl or Aazhi in front of the temple after completing the darshan.

Turmeric Powder or Manjal offering

This is offered to Nagaraja (the serpent gods) and mountain deities residing near the Malikappuram Temple on the right side of the main shrine. This spot is easily identifiable as this area is always in a deep yellow color.

Aval, Malar, Banana and Rice Powder

This can be offered at the Kochu Kadutha Shrine near Malikappuram Temple.

Bhasmam

Bhasma can be sprinkled at the Mani Mandapam near Malikappuram Temple. Mani Mandapam is spot where Lord Ayyappa meditated before merging with the main Murti at the main temple.

Karpooram, Agarbathi etc

Such items can be offered in the main temple and all small temples.

Uncooked Rice or Unakalari

This is can be offered for Annadanam or at the free food counters. There is also an opportunity to give the rice and buy Jaggery or Sharkara Payasam.

Betel Leaf and Betel Nut

This can be offered at the Shrine of Kochu Kadutha at the Malikappuram Temple. If you are taking it back home then you can offer it at your local shrine.

The Sharakol or Arrow from Erumeli

The Sharakol should be kept at Sharam Kutti.