makara jyothi-Darshanam

Sabarimalai, the abode of Lord  ayyappa attracts millions of devotees from all over the world.  The ritual of  fasting and practicing celibacy adds upto unshakable belief amongst the devotees.  The showing up of Jyothi on Makara Sankranthi day has been one of the main attractions of sabarimalai and on that day to witness the "Jyothi", millions of devotees converge dangerously on the hill only to push and pull each other just to have a glimpse of the Makara Jyothi that appears on the opposite hill side that faces the Idol of the Lord. Accidents were waiting to happen all these years as the devotees who assemble there on the day of Jyothi far exceed the capacity of the entire hill terrain or the shrine!  This year the expected accident happened with a human loss  that numbered more than a hundred.
I had the opportunity to visit a place called Pachakanam which is situated just opposite the Sabarimalai temple
and from where the famous and auspicious Makara Jyothi is lit up and held high with the help of Bamboo sticks by the local villagers which appear as Jyothi to the millions of devotees who break into frenzy mood watching the Makara Jyothi coming up in front of them.  For the villagers, its an annual festival of harvest! They have a tribal celebration and dance right in front of priests who come from the Sabarimalai devasthanam temple.  The priests plan the time of showing Jyothi and everything goes on clock work timings!! The moment deeparadhana is shown here at sabarimalai, the priests sitting in the opposite hillock signal to the villagers to hold the fire  that's lit up high on a bamboo stick!  Its time the sabarimalai temple authorities come forward to tell the truth to the millions of devotees and advise them to bank upon pure devotion and not on Magics and illusions that are human made?  This will help not only the devotees but also relieve the devasthanam from facing and managing uncontrollable crowds that throng the temple year after year.  The Travancore Board should value human lives more than the collections at the temple and should boldly come forward to present the truth behind the Makara Jyothi for the benefit and knowledge of millions.  It is so hard to believe that people fall an easy prey for all these gimmicks!
May Lord ayyappan bless the humankind and give them more power to make their brains think on their own and not believe myths and illusions! I beg forgiveness if I have wounded the religious feelings  and reassure that I am myself a devotee of Lord Ayyappan and continue to be one.  I have visited Sabarimalai nearly 8 times!