Maalikapurathamma
Encyclopedia
Raja of Pandalam
admitted Ayyappa to a famous Kalari
(gymnasium where traditional martial arts of Kalaripayattu is taught) at Cheerappanchira
, a famous family for Kalaripayattu training, in Cherthala
in Alappuzha
district. During this time he mastered all martial arts from various Kalari
es. The young daughter, Leela, of Kalari
Panicker
fall in love with Ayyappa. She requested to accept her as wife. But Ayyappan turned down her request as being a Brahmachari
. She was offered a seat at Sabarimala
known as Maalikappurathamma. Ayyappan promised her if thereis no Kanni Ayyappans (First time pilgrims with iru-mudi) to come to Sabarimala then he would marry her, but there is no any truth behind this story. It is a custom that every Kanni Ayyappan should deposit Saram (arrow of soft wood) at Saramkuthy as a mark of their arrival.
Gods and Ayyappa is no exception. Appam and Aravana (Payasam made of rice, ghee and jaggery) are the prasadams of the Lord
. There is an interesting story behind these prasadams also. The young daughter, Leela, of Kalari
Panicker
at Cheerappanchira
fall in love with Ayyappa. She requested to accept her as wife. But Ayyappan turned down her request as being a Brahmachari. Soon the girl started bringing him food to capture his attention. Time passed by and the girl reached her puberty. And her family, following the Hindu tradition, prepared special cuisines to celebrate the occasion. One mandatory item on the menu is Rthumathikanji (porridge made using rice and five times the quantity of jaggery). On that day she took this porridge to Ayyappa, who was practising payattu in the Kalari
. He liked it very much and requested the girl to bring only the porridge everyday. It is believed that the practice of offering Aravana as prasadam to the God was born from this incident.
Pandalam
Pandalam is one among the fastest growing towns in Kerala, India. Known far and wide for its legendary connection with Lord Ayyappa and Sabarimala, Pandalam is considered to be a holy town...
admitted Ayyappa to a famous Kalari
Kalari
The word Kalari means battle ground in Tamil and translates as "threshing floor" or "battlefield" in Malayalam. Training for Kalarippayattu, a martial art of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, is traditionally done inside the Kalari....
(gymnasium where traditional martial arts of Kalaripayattu is taught) at Cheerappanchira
Cheerappanchira
Cheerappanchira is an Ezhava tharavadu renowned for its Kalari in Muhamma, Alappuzha District. Cheerappanchira family, Mukkal Vettom Ayyappa Temple of the family and their Kalari, are as old as the mythology of Lord Ayyappan and his abode at Sabarimala. It is believed that Ayyappan was trained in...
, a famous family for Kalaripayattu training, in Cherthala
Cherthala
Cherthala is a town located in the district of Alappuzha, in the state of Kerala, India. It is located 30 km south of the city of Kochi and 22 km north of Alappuzha town, on the Kochi-Alappuzha streatch of both the National Highway 47 as well as the costal Rail-route.lt is 85 km from the...
in Alappuzha
Alappuzha
Alappuzha , also known as Alleppey, is a town in Alappuzha District of Kerala state of southern India. As per 2001 census Alleppey is the sixth largest city in Kerala with an urban population of 177,029. Alleppey is situated to the south of Kochi and north of Trivandrum...
district. During this time he mastered all martial arts from various Kalari
Kalari
The word Kalari means battle ground in Tamil and translates as "threshing floor" or "battlefield" in Malayalam. Training for Kalarippayattu, a martial art of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, is traditionally done inside the Kalari....
es. The young daughter, Leela, of Kalari
Kalari
The word Kalari means battle ground in Tamil and translates as "threshing floor" or "battlefield" in Malayalam. Training for Kalarippayattu, a martial art of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, is traditionally done inside the Kalari....
Panicker
Panicker
Panicker is an Indian title or last name used by members of various communities in the state of Kerala. The Kaniyars community of Kerala, particularly central and northern region, by virtue of their traditional occupation as teachers of a martial art are commonly known as Panicker...
fall in love with Ayyappa. She requested to accept her as wife. But Ayyappan turned down her request as being a Brahmachari
Brahmacharya
Brahmacharya is one of the four stages of life in an age-based social system as laid out in the Manu Smrti and later Classical Sanskrit texts in Hinduism. It refers to an educational period of 14–20 years which starts before the age of puberty. During this time the traditional vedic sciences are...
. She was offered a seat at Sabarimala
Sabarimala
Sabarimala is a Hindu pilgrimage center located in the Western Ghat mountain ranges of Pathanamthitta District in Kerala. It is the largest annual pilgrimage in India with an estimated 45–50 million devotees visiting every year. Sabarimala is believed to be the place where the Hindu God Ayyappan...
known as Maalikappurathamma. Ayyappan promised her if thereis no Kanni Ayyappans (First time pilgrims with iru-mudi) to come to Sabarimala then he would marry her, but there is no any truth behind this story. It is a custom that every Kanni Ayyappan should deposit Saram (arrow of soft wood) at Saramkuthy as a mark of their arrival.
Sabari Mala Prasadam
A strong liking for sweets is a common factor of all HinduHindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
Gods and Ayyappa is no exception. Appam and Aravana (Payasam made of rice, ghee and jaggery) are the prasadams of the Lord
Lord
Lord is a title with various meanings. It can denote a prince or a feudal superior . The title today is mostly used in connection with the peerage of the United Kingdom or its predecessor countries, although some users of the title do not themselves hold peerages, and use it 'by courtesy'...
. There is an interesting story behind these prasadams also. The young daughter, Leela, of Kalari
Kalari
The word Kalari means battle ground in Tamil and translates as "threshing floor" or "battlefield" in Malayalam. Training for Kalarippayattu, a martial art of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, is traditionally done inside the Kalari....
Panicker
Panicker
Panicker is an Indian title or last name used by members of various communities in the state of Kerala. The Kaniyars community of Kerala, particularly central and northern region, by virtue of their traditional occupation as teachers of a martial art are commonly known as Panicker...
at Cheerappanchira
Cheerappanchira
Cheerappanchira is an Ezhava tharavadu renowned for its Kalari in Muhamma, Alappuzha District. Cheerappanchira family, Mukkal Vettom Ayyappa Temple of the family and their Kalari, are as old as the mythology of Lord Ayyappan and his abode at Sabarimala. It is believed that Ayyappan was trained in...
fall in love with Ayyappa. She requested to accept her as wife. But Ayyappan turned down her request as being a Brahmachari. Soon the girl started bringing him food to capture his attention. Time passed by and the girl reached her puberty. And her family, following the Hindu tradition, prepared special cuisines to celebrate the occasion. One mandatory item on the menu is Rthumathikanji (porridge made using rice and five times the quantity of jaggery). On that day she took this porridge to Ayyappa, who was practising payattu in the Kalari
Kalari
The word Kalari means battle ground in Tamil and translates as "threshing floor" or "battlefield" in Malayalam. Training for Kalarippayattu, a martial art of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, is traditionally done inside the Kalari....
. He liked it very much and requested the girl to bring only the porridge everyday. It is believed that the practice of offering Aravana as prasadam to the God was born from this incident.