Makarajyothi and makaravilak

makaravilakku and makarajyothi

Makara (Sanskrit: मकर) is the name of a zodiac sign in Indian languages known as Capricorn in English. "Jyoti" means "light" in Sanskrit. Thus "Makara Jyoti" (also spelt as Jyothi) means "Light of Capricorn".

The Sun appears to move from one zodiac constellation to another every month and the day on which Sun changes the constellation is called Sankrānti (= transit) in Sanskrit. Makara Sankranti (Sanskrit: मकर संक्रान्ति, Malayalam: മകര സാന്‍ക്രാന്തി, Kannada: ಮಕರ ಸಂಕ್ರಾಂತಿ, Tamil: தைப்பொங்கல், Telugu: మకర సంక్రాంతి ) is the Sun’s transit into Capricorn (Makara) constellation that usually occurs on 14 January every year and is a very important Hindu festival celebrated all over India in various forms. Uttarāyaṇa, the six-month period when the sun travels towards the north on the celestial sphere starts on Makara Sankranti and ends on Karka Sankranti (around July 14).

One of the places where a large number of devout Hindus reach on 14 January for worship is Sabarimala located in thick rain forests of Kerala.

Makara Jyothi is worshiped as a part of ritual in Sabarimala Temple on Makara Sankranti on 14 January every year. Devout Hindus believe that the jyothi is a celestial phenomenon and its sighting is auspicious and brings good luck and blessings.

Popularity of the Ritual

Lord Sri Rama and his brother Lakshmana met Sabari, an urban devotee, at Sabarimala. Sabari offered the Lord fruits after tasting them. But the Lord accepted them gladly and whole-heartedly. The Lord then turned and saw a divine person doing tapas. He asked Sabari who it was. Sabari said it was Sasta. Rama walked towards Sasta and the latter stood up to welcome the Prince of Ayodhya. The anniversary of this incident is celebrated on Makara Vilakku day. It is believed that on Makara Vilakku day, Lord Dharmasasta stops his tapas to bless his devotees.

Another popular mythical belief is that the Makara Vilakku is lit there in commemoration of the aarathi performed by Dev rishis and Devas at the time of revelation of His Divine form (Roopa) by Manikantan (an incarnation of Sasta).

This event marks the culmination of the long and arduous pilgrimage to Sabarimala shrine. The light disappears in the evening after the Thiruvaabharanam (divine ornaments) are brought into the sanctum sanctorum and are placed on the Lord. The most significant rituals of worship are performed at the day of Makara Sankaranthi (14 January every year). It draws the second largest number of pilgrims to a place of worship in India. Of particular significance is the fact that this is a remote forest in the Western Ghats in Kerala.

The most famous Ayyappa shrine in India is the one at Sabarimala with over 50 million devotees visiting it every year..

The huge crowd of pilgrims that witnesses the event has been on the rise every year.[1] It is believed that 1.5 million devotees witnessed Makarajyoti light in 2010.[2] The revenue collection during the Makaravilakku period was also higher compared to previous years. The total donations were Rs.720 million in 2008 against previous year’s Rs.723 million.[3]