Ayyappan (also called Sastavu or Sasta) is a Hindu deity who is believed to be an incarnation of Dharma Sasta, the offspring of Shiva and Vishnu (in the form of Mohini, his only female avatar), He is generally depicted in a yogic posture, wearing a jewel around his neck, hence named Manikandan. Ayyappan may bear a historical relationship to the tutelary deity Aiyanar in Tamil Nadu.[1]
By the 20th
century, there has been an increase in the number of worshipers of Ayyappan from many different groups, spurred by vast improvements in transport and communication in southern India.[2]
Ayyappan's annual festival is a time of pilgrimage for ever-growing numbers of men from throughout South India. The most prominent and famous Ayyappan shrine is the one at Sabarimala, in the hills of Pathanamthitta in Kerala, with over 30 million devotees visiting it every year,[3] making it one of the largest pilgrimage sites in the world. These devotees fast and engage in austerities under the leadership of a teacher for weeks beforehand and then travel in groups to the shrine for a glimpse of Ayyappan. Bus tickets are hard to obtain for several weeks as masses of elated men, clad in distinctive ritual dhotis of various colors, throng public transportation during their trip to the shrine.[4]
The name "sri Ayyappan" is used as a respectful form of address in the Malayalam and Tamil languages.
