A strong liking for
sweets is a common factor of all Hindu Gods and Ayyappa is no exception. Appam and
Aravana (payasam made of rice, ghee and jaggery) are the prasadams of the
Lord.Devotee can buy these from counters and the rates are:
Appam: Rs 15 per satchet containing five appams.
Aravana: Rs
45 for 250ml-tin and Rs 80 for 500ml-tin.
There is an
interesting story behind these prasadams also.The Raja of Pandalam admitted Ayyappa to a
famous Kalari (gymnasium where traditional martial arts of Kalaripayattu is taught) at
Cheerappanchra in Cherthali in Allappuzha district.The young daughter of Kalari master
fell in love with Ayyappa. But Ayyappa was so involved in his studies that he didn't
notice the girl's infatuation.
Soon the girl
started bringing him food to capture his attention.Time passed by and the girl reached her
puberty. And her family, following the Hindu tradition, prepared special cuisines to
celebrate the occasion.
One mandatory item
on the menu is Rthumathikanji (porridge made using rice and five times the
quantity of jaggery).On that day she took this porridge to Ayyappa, practising payattu
in the Kalari.
He liked it very
much and requested the girl to bring only the porridge everyday. It is believed that the
practice of offering Aravana as prasadam to the God was born from this incident.
