Withdrawal of the North-East Monsoon heralds days of pilgrimage in Kerala, the land of Bhargava Rama. The Malayalam month of Vrischikam (November-December) welcomes mild winter with refreshing cool breeze of the predawn hours, providing an air of piety and serenity. The climate is salubrious, conducive to spiritual enhancement.

Everywhere, in the state, the reverberating chants of Saranamantra, 'Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa' , emerging from the throats of batches of men clad in black, wearing beaded garlands, with their foreheads smeared with bibhoothi, sandal paste and saffron, and growing bristles of beards, rend the sky. These are enthusiastic devotees who have surrendered themselves to the LordAyyappa, the Deity enshrined in the temple at the summit of Sabarimala. The spiritual eminence of the Deity, is superb. He is one potent enough to redeem his devout devotees from the sins of Kaliyuga and bless them with salvation as well as worldly prosperity. So he is known as 'Kaliyuugavarada'. Although the Deity is popularly known as Ayyappa, the other names attributed to Him are Dharma Sastha, Sribhoothanatha, Tharakahrahma etc. No wonder that millions and millions of pilgrims hailing from all parts of India are being drawn to His lotus-feet year after year. The number is ever on the increase.

The outstanding feature of the pilgrimage is that it is not at all sectarian. Anyone not withstanding the caste, creed or religion he belongs to, can unhesitatingly join the pilgrimage, subject to the observance of the prescribed austerities. As a devotee of Ayyappa there exists no discrimination between the rich and the poor or the high-born and the low-born. This unique aspect of the pilgrimage conveys to the people the message that all men are created equal. Once a devotee wears the garland round the neck and black attire round the waist as the preliminary ritual of the pilgrimage, he identifies himself with the Lord. He is addressed as 'Swami' or 'Ayyappa' and on his turn he addresses others in same terms. He sees everyone including himself as the image of ‘Ayyappa Swami’, thus upholding the vedic dictums of 'Aham Brahmasmi' and' Tattwamasi' .

Sabarimala. situated in Pathanamthitta District in Kerala is 3,000 feet above sea-Ievel. The pilgrimage to Sabarimala is an arduous ordeal. It is virtually an expedition, scaling mountains and crossing rivers, right through dense forests inaccessible to the mankind and inhabited by ferocious wild beasts and treading the hilly-tracks replete with sharp stones and thorns. The cherished goal, of reaching the sanctimonious presence of the merciful Lord with 'abhayamudra' (the sign of bestowing refuge) and worshipping His effulgent form, can be attained only with moral courage coupled with physical strength fortified by His grace. Rigorous spiritual discipline is practiced at least for forty-one days before one sets out on the pilgrimage. This is to condition him mentally and physically to undertake the onerous trip. Maintaining physical cleanliness and mental purity throughout, he lives the life of art ascetic, ever since he has begun to wear the sanctified eaded galIand round his neck.

There are temples dedicated to Dharma Sasta as Ayyappa is generally known all over the State of Kerala and now of course, in other states also. Even in temples dedicated to other deities in Kerala there will be generally a Sasta shrine. However, there are five important temples along the hilly tracts of the Western Ghats founded by the legendary Parasurama. Dharma Sasta is represented in different stages in these temples.

Thus at Kulathupuzha, the first of these, He appears as Balaka or child, at Aryankavu as a Brahmachari, at Achankovil as a Grahastha with his two consorts, Poorna and Pushkala, at Sabarimala as Vanaprastha and at Ponnambalamedu (the hill of the golden temple) or Kantamala as the highest yogi. The last-mentioned temple, which is not yet explored, is believed to have been built by sages on a forest covered mountain opposite Sabarimala on the eastern side