SABARIMALA & MAKARAVILAKKU

    Is the Marakarajyothi man-made, the Kerala High Court asked on Thursday 19th January,2011. Travancore Devaswom Board  President Rajagopalan Nair said' the light sighted at Ponnambalamedu was man-made, he said Devasaom Board,itself had no role in creating it. According to him,it is believed that in the olden days, forest-dwellers in and around ponnambalamedu used to celebrate the Makara vilakku festival at the hilltop. The lighting of a lamp at Ponnambalamedu on Makaravilakku day has become an annual affair even after the forest-dwellers vacating the place  in later years. The senior Tantri of the Sabarimala temple Kandararu Maheswararu also clarified that the light sighted at Ponnambalamedu was man-made. According to Tantri the bright star"Makara" that appears on the horizon above the holly hillock of the Sabarimala Sannidhanam on Makaravilakku'day is the Makarajyothi' and not the light lit at ponnambalamedu.
     the Pandalam palace does not give any importance to the Makarajyothi,which is man-made. Vilakku is an old malayalam usage for a temple festival, and makaravilakku is referred to the temple festival of Sabarimala on the day of makara sankramon.
    Ayyappa Sevasanghom National vice president said it was a fact that the lamp lighted at ponnsmbamedu is man-made and a matter of faith.Hindu Aikayavedi general secretary said makarajyothi has found advine religious niche in the minds of every Ayppa devotee.

Prof.John Kurakar