Manikanta then enlightened the King on the path of attainment of Moksha. The Lord shot an arrow that fell at the top of Sabrimala and told the King that he could construct a temple at Sabarimala, north of the holy river Pampa and install His deity there. Ayyappa also explained how the Sabarimala pilgrimage shall be undertaken, emphasising the importance of Penance vratham and what the devotees can attain by His ‘darshan’. But before the departure of the Lord, the King secured a promise from the Lord that on Thai Pongal on January 14, every year, (celebrated as “Makara Jyothi” all his personal jewellery (usually kept at the Palace) will be adorned on His statue at Sabarimala.

Thus, on the January 12 each year, the jewellery is taken on foot from the Palace by a special emissary of the kingdom, after the puja with all pomp, devotion and reverence. Immediately when the aarati is over, Royal Garuda (Eagle) flies over the Palace. The Royal Garuda flies ahead, and appears guide the pilgrims throughout their journey. Since there was no modern means of communication like Telephone or Mobile, to the hundreds of thousands of Devotees desirous of worshipping Lord Manikanta’s Jewels en route to His Abode, this Garuda was the sole and absolute signal of advance information even to the Temple authorities at Sabarimala to get ready for the adorning of the Jewels. This journey on the 12th and 13th of January finally reaches Sabarimala on January 14. Immediately after the jewellery is adorned on the Deity, there is an Aarti. The miracle is that just after the Aarti, without loss a second, the Jyothi appears on the east side of the Temple up above the Hills of Kanthamalai which also plays an important role in his life. But then the Lord further consoled the King saying that the devotees who held him and his descendants in ‘Bhakti’ shall happen to be devoted to Him as well. Manikanta then blessed the King and all others assembled there, and vanished. The King duly constructed the temple at Sabarimala, dedicated to him. The deity for installation was prepared by Parasurama, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, and was installed it himself.

Stories of Ayyappa

Sabarimala Vrat