Kottayam: Eminent historian M.G.S. Narayanan says Sabarimala temple came to prominence only after the 1950 arson. Until then mostly the local population used to visit there like other village temples.
MGS says the name Ayyappa came from the 'Ayyanar' concept prevailed in the 10th century Tamil Nadu villages, and not necessarily due to its association with the Pandalam royals.
Tamil Nadu and Karnataka villagers worshipped Ayyan, the one who protects.
Walls of their homes used to carry portraits of a horse-mounted warrior who is their Ayyanar, the protector.
"The Pandalam royal family became associated with the temple since they are the custodians of the ornaments offered by the devotees and not due to any other reasons. The respective ruling families preserve the ornaments in every locality," he told DC.
Historian Rajan Gurukkal also agrees. Since 1950, the temple gradually attained fame, and it peaked in the 1970s and 80s. By mid-90s, pilgrims from Karnataka, Andhra and Tamil Nadu started arriving in large numbers.
He also argues that the rituals at the temple had kept on changing.
"Customs and conventions of the time influence the rituals and Sabarimala was no exception," he said.
He also said that the Pandalam royals don't need to be associated with the Sabarimala temple as it is not an ancient royal family.
They became rulers from the 15th century, and the family's long-term association with the temple is not factual, he says.
On prohibiting the young women to the temple, he said that too was influenced by the customs prevailed in the state.
"In the earlier period, women undergoing menstrual period are not allowed to enter even the kitchens of their homes due to the cleanliness aspect," he pointed out.
"The prohibition was enforced taking into account the impracticality in observing the mandatory 41 days of cleanliness due to the menstrual cycle."
He said the women avoided the temple since it's in an interior forest locality and not due to customs during the initial years.
