Visiting Mosques During Sabarimala Pilgrimage Will Make You ‘Impure’: BJP MLA Raja Singh Tells Ayyappa Devotees

Raja Singh, the MLA from Goshamahal, alleged that the practice of visiting the mosque of Vavar, a revered companion of Lord Ayyappa, was a "conspiracy" and should be avoided.

Raja Singh emphasised that devotees must follow the rules of 'Ayyappa deeksha' and alleged that visiting mosques would render them "impure."

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Telangana BJP MLA Raja Singh urged Ayyappa devotees visiting the Sabarimala temple in Kerala to refrain from visiting mosques during their pilgrimage. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Singh emphasised that devotees must follow the rules of 'Ayyappa deeksha' and alleged that visiting mosques would render them "impure."

Singh told reporters, as per PTI: "Devotees must strictly follow the rules of 'Ayyappa deeksha' and they would become impure if they go to the mosque (Vavar). It is a conspiracy that the devotees are made to visit the mosque."

Singh, the MLA from Goshamahal, alleged that the practice of visiting the mosque of Vavar, a revered companion of Lord Ayyappa, was a "conspiracy" and should be avoided. He also called upon Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to request the Kerala government to allocate 10 acres of land for constructing accommodations for Ayyappa devotees.

The Vavar mosque is located 45 kilometers from Sabarimala temple.

Meanwhile, Sabarimala annual pilgrimage season has seen a significant increase in footfall and revenue this year. During the 41-day Mandala Mahotsavam, the first phase of the pilgrimage, over 32 lakh devotees had darshan at the hill shrine in Pathanamthitta, Kerala. The second phase of the pilgrimage commenced on December 30 and will culminate with the Makaravilakku festival on January 14, coinciding with Makara Shankranti in northern India. This auspicious event marks the peak of the pilgrimage season with the second phase concluding a few days later.

The temple recorded an additional revenue of Rs 82.24 crore compared to the previous year. The Devaswom Board earned Rs 124.02 crore from the sale of aravana, the temple’s major prasadam, marking an increase of Rs 22.07 crore from last year, as per a report on The New Indian Express.