Vavar

Vavar was a Muslim saint, in whose memory there is a deity Vavarswami close to the proximity of the main Ayyappa Swami Temple at Sabarimala, Kerala by the side of Holy "Pathinettampady" (Eighteen steps). This deity of Vavar is believed to as old as the Ayyapa deity at Sabarimala main temple. A Muslim priest performs the rituals even today. There is no distinguishable idol, but just a carved stone slab symbolises the deity of Vavarswami. A green coloured silk cloth is hung across one of the three walls. The fourth side is open. An old sword is also kept near the wall. The main offering to Vavarswami is green pepper.

Legends

There are many legends about Vavar and his association with Ayyappa. Some believe that Vavarswami was a Muslim saint who migrated from Arabia to India with the intention of spreading Islam. Others suggest that he was a warrior who reached the shore of Kerala as a pirate in a ship to loot and plunder. During his encounter with Lord Ayyappa, he was defeated and subdued by Lord Ayyappa. Since then Vavar became a close associate of Lord Ayyappa and helped him in the wars in the mountainous region. As time passed ,Vavar too became an ardent devotee of Ayyappa just like Kadhuthaswami and came to be known as Vavarswami. The old sword on the wall of the Vavar shrine symbolises the eminence of Vavar as a great warrior. It is believed that the Lord Ayyappa himself instructed the King of Pandala Desam to build a mosque for Vavar at Erumeliin Kottayam District and a shrine at Sabarimala.

Erumely is the gateway to Sabarimala, the hillock shrine of Lord Ayyappa. This place is very famous for 'Pettathullal' a kind of mass spiritual dance perform by Ayyappa devotees. Perrathullal is performed in the Makaravilaku season i.e. from mid December to mid January every year to commemorate the annihilation of a 'Mahishi' by Lord Ayyappa.

It is believed that the aim of the incarnation of Lord Ayyppa as son of Siva and Vishnu was the annihilation of demoness Mahishi.

After killing the Mahishi at Erumely, Ayyappa performed a dance on her dead body. In order to commemorate this event, the devotees perform the ritual called pettathullal in Erumely.

The barefooted devotees perform this dance by wearing black dothis, and garnishing their body with different colour powders and flowers and carrying toy bows,arrows and shrub branchs and chanting the slogan "Ayyappathinthakathom, Swamythinthakathom"

The place name Erumely is believed to have been derived from the word 'Eruma Kolly' which got transformed to Erumely.

En route the pilgrimage to Sabarimala during the makaravilakku season almost all of the Ayyappa devotees will come to Erumely and perform the ritual. Pettathullal starts from the small temple situated at the heart of Erumely town known as 'Kochambalam". From there the dance procession advance to the muslim mosque called 'Vavar palli' opposite to Kochambalam and the devotees worship 'Vavarswamy'.

Finally the procession ends up at Dharmasastha temple known as 'Valliyambalam.'

ee also

*Ayyappan
*Ayyanar
*Erumely
*Sabarimala
*Maalikapurathamma

External links

* [http://www.saranamayyappa.org/The_Stories_of_Kadutha_and_Vavar.htm Story of Kadutha and Vavar]