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As 1 of the largest yearly pilgrimage sites successful the world, Sabarimala has agelong symbolised devotion, subject and fraternity. The Global Ayyappa Sangamam — an inaugural by the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) arsenic portion of its platinum jubilee celebrations — connected September 20, 2025 is simply a measurement towards recognising this cosmopolitan appeal, and strengthening Kerala’s secular legacy.
Sabarimala is much than conscionable a temple. It is simply a awesome of Kerala’s societal and taste synthesis. Pilgrims from crossed caste-based and spiritual boundaries, ascent the ineffable elevation aft weeks of penance and self-discipline, reaffirming equality and corporate spiritual pursuit. The beingness of Vavar Nada, dedicated to a Muslim companion of Lord Ayyappa, is simply a reminder of interfaith harmony. The pilgrim routes besides link with Arthunkal Church, a Christian pilgrim centre of humanities significance.
Equally symbolic is the rendering of the devotional opus ‘Harivarasanam’, played arsenic a lullaby to Ayyappa and his devotees astatine the temple each day. The opus was composed by the precocious G. Devarajan, besides a committed atheist and communist, and immortalised successful the dependable of K.J. Yesudas, an iconic vocalist and a Christian by birth. Together, these elements item Sabarimala’s secular, harmonious, and inclusive bequest — a abstraction wherever devotion is ne'er reduced to communal identity.
The TDB is celebrating and reaffirming this long-standing secular tradition. It signals a designation that Sabarimala belongs to the world, which is reflected successful the words that greet 1 astatine the shrine, ‘thatwam asi (thou creation that’), indicating that the aforesaid tone sprouts successful everyone, oregon nary 1 is alien. Yet, Opposition parties person opposed this progressive step. Adding to this, the Sabarimala Karma Samithi, dominated by communal forces, has announced its program to clasp a alleged ‘Viswasa Sangamam’ (Faith Congregation) astatine Pandalam connected September 22. It is simply a calculated effort to inject a communal communicative into what has historically been a unifying space.
It is important to recognise the favoritism betwixt believers and communal forces. The archetypal draws from religion a consciousness of discipline, motivation strength, and fraternity. The 2nd manipulates spiritual sentiments for constrictive governmental gain. Kerala’s past has shown that believers person often stood connected the broadside of betterment and progress. The struggles led by Sree Narayana Guru, Ayyankali, and different reformers emerged from wrong nine and spiritual traditions, and yet they pointed towards liberation, equality, and societal transformation. It is successful this reformist contented that the Global Ayyappa Sangamam indispensable beryllium located.
The secular quality of Sabarimala is the result of centuries of reform, negotiation, and the struggles of mean devotees. Reforms astatine Sabarimala and different temples came from wrong nine itself. The Left has ever held that specified interior betterment movements are indispensable to weaken caste hierarchies and communal divisions. This is besides wherefore the attempts to communalise the Sangamam indispensable beryllium resisted. The BJP and its affiliates person agelong sought to weaponise Sabarimala for governmental gain, portraying progressive betterment arsenic an onslaught connected faith. Sabarimala has ne'er belonged to communal forces. Its inclusivity, its connections crossed communities and its past of reforms, basal successful absorption to sectarian narratives. Efforts are connected to represent the lawsuit arsenic an effort by the CPI(M) to interfere successful a spiritual gathering arsenic communists are critics of religion. Communists survey and critique each aspects of the nine truthful that a amended aboriginal tin beryllium ensured. So, rather naturally, religion besides falls wrong their radar, arsenic it is portion and parcel of the society. Marx said, “Religion is the suspiration of the oppressed creature... It is the opium of the people.” He was highlighting the information that religion helps the oppressed to hide their sufferings. Back then, opium was utilized by practitioners of medicine arsenic a symptom reliever.
The Global Ayyappa Sangamam is besides a level to sermon developmental projects — the Sabarimala Master Plan, the projected airdrome and different initiatives. It is simply a governmental statement, which asserts that Kerala’s nationalist sphere volition not beryllium surrendered to divisive forces. It besides declares that secularism is not an abstract law principle, but a surviving signifier embodied successful our pilgrim traditions.
M.A. Baby is CPI(M) General Secretary
