Every year an million pilgrims travel to the shrine of Lord Ayyappa in Sabarimalai in what has become the second largest pilgrimage phenomenon in the world. The origins of the deity Ayyappa can be traced to antiquity, however it is only in the last four decades that the movement has gained momentum and popularity spreading beyond the parochial limits of Kerala. This pilgrimage has three special features. Firstly, while it bars females between the ages of nine and ...
