Aazhi at Sabarimala – Fire Place in front of Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple

There is a fire place in front of the eighteen steps at Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple and devotees throw coconut into it. This place is known as Aazhi. Ayyappa devotees pour the ghee from the ghee-filled coconut near the Srikovil or sanctum sanctorum of the Ayyappa Temple. The coconut devoid of ghee is thrown into the Aazhi.

The symbolic belief is that the ghee-filled coconut that is brought in the irrumudi is the jeev athma. When the ghee is offered at the shrine, the jeevathma merges with Ayyappa. The coconut devoid of ghee is considered as dead body or Jada and this is then burned in the Aazhi.

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