Sabarimala Makara Jyothi: Unveiling The Festival's History, Spiritual Significance, And More

This year's seven-day event starts with Makaravilakku, coinciding with Makar Sankranti, and concludes with Guruthi, a ceremonial offering to the deities.

Makaravilakku is a significant annual event celebrated at the Sabarimala temple in Kerala. The auspicious event marks the culmination of the annual Sabarimala pilgrimage season and this year the event falls on January 15 coinciding with the Makar Sankranti festival. The celebration revolves around the appearance of the divine light, known as Makaravilakku, which is observed three times at Ponnambalamedu, a remote hilltop located eight kilometers east of the Sannidhanam (temple complex), after the evening puja.

Traditionally, the Makaravilakku celebration is viewed as a symbol to commemorate the meeting between Lord Rama and Dharmashasta (another name for Ayyappan) in Sabarimala. It is considered a highly auspicious and sacred event, drawing thousands of devotees from all over the world to witness the divine light.

Makara Jyothi In Sabarimala

The seven-day event commences on Makar Sankranti and concludes with Guruthi, a ceremonial offering to the deities. The festivities include a procession of Thiruvabharanam which consists of Lord Ayyappan's precious jewels. Devotees participate in the celebration offering prayers and seeking blessings. 

At 5 PM on Monday, a team of Devasom officials led by Minister K Radhakrishnan will receive Thiruvabharanam procession. Later, the jewels will be taken to the temple and lord Ayappa will be adorned with the jewels during the Deeparadhana. 

The Makara Jyothi, a celestial phenomenon, marks the zenith of Makkaravilakku festival. The phenomenon is viewed every year with chants of 'Swamiye Saranamayappa' in the hills. The Makarajyothi is also the phenomenon of a light flickering three times on the eastern horizon after the evening pooja at Sabarimala on the concluding day of the annual pilgrimage season.

In 2011, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) officially acknowledged in an affidavit related to the Sabarimala stampede case that the Makarajyothi was "man made", as reported on India Today. On January 14, 2011, an incident unfolded as 104 pilgrims lost their lives in a stampede. This unfortunate event occurred when three lakh pilgrims were returning after witnessing the Makarajyothi.

Earlier, Makaravilakku was conducted secretly by Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) in the Ponnambalamedu forest. Originally, the ceremony was performed by the Malayaraya tribe, considered descendants of Malayaman Kaari. After the tribal community vacated the area, the TDB, entrusted by the Government of Kerala, took over the legal and administrative management of the Sabarimala temple. The square cement platform used for the lighting of the fire during Makaravilakku was constructed by the TDB in the 1990s.