Kerala is seeking an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records for the state’s annual Makaravilakku at the Sabarimala hill shrine as a unique festival attended by millions of people of all religions and castes.
It is estimated that one million devotees witnessed the miracle ‘Makara jyoti’ light appear on the horizon on 14th January. The crowds have been milling at the temple in Pathanamthita district for the last two days to witness the ‘Makara Jyoti’, which is the high point of the pilgrimage.
Temple Affairs Minister G Sudhakaran has informed that more than 30 million devotees have already visited the temple during the past two months. And so the government has decided to endorse a Guinness nomination for the temple. The collection this time has crossed by Rs.10 million over the last season.
Not only in the number of pilgrims but also in the sale of Aravana prasadam a new record is set this year. For the first time in history 1,80,000 tins of Aravana was distributed, and Devasom has received 3 crores from the sales.
This is a unique gathering. People from all walks of life visits the temple. Leaders, bureaucrats, film personalities, jurists all clad in simple attire. It is filled with an atmosphere of love, affection and respect for others, irrespective of social status.
Last month, 85-year-old V S Achuthanandan, a member of the CPM politburo, the party’s highest decision-making body, became the first communist chief minister to visit the temple.
The controversies connected to the miracle light known as Makara Jyothi which appears in the horizon of Poonamba-lamedu is a hoax still exist.Last week, the Kerala High Court sought the government’s response to a writ petition by a group of rationalists seeking permission to visit Ponnamba-lamedu where the light is seen.