The Writer's Blog

For the past 2 and half months, clusters of men clad in black drapery have been trekking their way to finally reach their destination- SABARIMALA (शबरिमाला / ശബരിമല). The journey spanning a treacherous path of thorns and keeping alive severe worldly austerities on this journey to visit His Highness, Lord Ayyappa. Who is Ayyappa? People in the northern India often find the name funny and unsuitable for a God! Well, No offences, lack of knowledge can lead to such ignorant thinking. Lord Ayyappa is perhaps the most important Hindu deity for the people of Kerala and He is also followed in Tamil Nadu & Karnataka. Lord Ayyappa also known as Manikantha or the one with the bell around his throat is touted to be the son of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. Startled??? Surprised??? Shocked??? Well, the story dates back to the great Samudra Manthan (The churning of the Ocean) epic in the Hindu puranas. The clash took place between SurAs(Gods) and asurAs(Demons) to claim Amritham, which was a milky

Here's Wikipedia's excerpts on this Indian Festival that marks the sun's transit. Makar Sankranti (Sanskrit: मकर संक्रान्ति, Assamese: মকৰ সংক্রান্তি, Telugu: మకర సంక్రాంతి, Marathi: मकर संक्रान्ति, Kannada: ಮಕರ ಸಂಕ್ರಾಂತಿ) or Sankranti or Sankranthi marks the transition of the Sun into Makara rashi (Capricorn) on its celestial path. Traditionally, this has been one of many harvest days in India. Makaravillakku Ceremony in Sabarimala (Kerala) Owing to the vast geography and diversity of culture in India, this festival is celebrated for innumerable reasons and in innumerable ways depending on the climate, agricultural environment, cultural background and location. Sankranti is celebrated since last 6000 years, as archeological findings in Latin America prove that the Mayans celabrated something similar to Sankranthi with Pongal, Pala kayalu, as some kind of spring festival. Sankranti is the Sanskrit word, which refers to the transmigration of the Sun from one Rāshi(z