Harivarasanam : A short history

The last pooja offered to lord ayyappa is the Athazhapooja.In that time panakam - prepared of the jaggery sirup,pepper powder,dry ginger,cardamon and cumin-seed are mixed,offered to the lord ayyappa and distributed to the devotes.The panakam overcome the severe winder cold and resistant diseases is an ideal medicine and health drink.

After cleaning the temple the sanctum sanctum is set to put the lord Ayyappa to sleep.All the devotes and sub priests get together in front of the sanctum and sing Harivarasanam.

When the octave is about to end the head priest put on the burning lamp and come out of the sanctum .The Harivarasanam has captured the heart and soul of every devotee,Harivarasanam is prove that even a song sung with a full of devotees have stud the test of time and become a tradition of 1000's of years.

Kulathoor Iyer, a devotional poet wrote the harivarasanam.A devotee from Alapuzha Sri.V R GopalaMenon used to stay at sabarimala in 1950's,on that days the sanctum was open once in a month,In that period's V R GopalaMenon sing the sweet song Harivarasanam.GopalaMenon was known as a nick name 'Sabrimalayile Kudikidappukaran' ,he was roaming about here and there he died on the way.On hearing the news of the tragic death this ardent devotee broke the heart of the temple priest Easwaran Namboothiripad.The priest paid tributes to he departed soul by singing harivarasanam just before closing the sanctum of lord Ayyappa.In 1955 Swami vimochanananda sang harivarasanam in a beautiful voice.

Dr. K J Yesudas in the film 'Swamy Ayyappa' immortalized this octave song this hymn.