Ayyappa pilgrims to Sabarimala, if they do the full pilgrimage, have their last stop before Sabarimala itself at a town called Eremely. In the main street of the town are 3 important places for the pilgrims - at one end of the street is a temple at which the pilgrims bathe and pay respects. Then they adorn themselves with coloured powders all over the head, face, arms etc and dance up the street to drumming, sometimes also wearing masks and carrying assorted props. It's wild and manic - Paula from Rio said it reminded her of Carnival. At the other end of the street is another temple and also (interestingly) a mosque which is also a holy place for the Ayyappa pilgrims. As January draws on, the amount of pilgrims increases and the amount of dancing in the streets of Eremely also intensifies, causing traffic jams. Here is something of what it all looks like:
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My trip to South India, staying at the Vijnana Kala Vedi Cultural Centre in Aranmula village, Kerala.
