Introduction : Swamy Ayyappan always has a predominant place in the Hindu religion. The main reason behind this is Swamy Ayyappan is the last Human Incarnation of god in kaliyug. Bhagawan Ayyappan is in married posture with Shri Pushkaladevi of Sourashtra community in Aryankavu. The marriage festival is held in Aryankavu every year and the marriage rituals are the same as in the Sourashtra community.Every year under the invitation of Trivancore king and Devasvam Board, the people of sourashtra under a sangam called 'Aryankavu Devasthan Sourashtra Mahajana Sangam', go as the sambanthi for the Lord Ayyappan. For the marriage they carry all the essential things as we carry for any marriage to Aryankuva from Madurai.

Incident at Aryankavu : In earlier days the Sourashtrians sold  silk  dresses to the  Trivancore king. One such business  man went to sell  silk  dresses  to Trivancore  with his virgin daughter. On his way he reached  Aryankavu by night, so he had to stay there.The next  morning after freshing up he was ready to start, when his daughter requested him that she wanted to stay back there and keep praying to the Lord  Ayyappan. She  was impressed by the Lord and devoted  to him. The people of the place also suggested  not  to  take his daughter  with, as  it  was  a  dense  forest  journey and  they  promised  to  take  care  of  the  girl. The  businessman impressed by his daughter's bhakthi towards Lord Ayyappan, left  her in charge of an archakar in that temple.

Divine marriage Utsav     Mandalabisheka Festival     Invitation     Agenda     Engagement Procession     Engagement Picture 1     Engagement Picture 2     Marriage in Progress     Marriage     Car Procession

Lord Ayyapan's Dharshan :
After  completing his  business in Trivancore  he  returned   towards   Aryankavu. As he  was nearing  Aryankavu, a big one horned elephant  came threatening towards him. The businessman was terribly afraid of this  sudden  appearance of  the elephant and started praying loudly 'Ayyappa help and save me'. At that time a  well-built  hunter  appeared  suddenly and  shouted  towards  the elephant to go. On hearing that the elephant went away like a magic The businessman was impressed and told to the hunter," you  have saved my life and my family like a god". In a token of appreciation, the businessman gave a rich silk cloth to the hunter. The hunter wearing the cloth around  his neck asked the businessman  'How do I look?'.  The  business man replied 'You look like a beautiful bridegroom'.On hearing this the hunter asked him, " will you  marry  your  daughter  to  me.?" For that the business man said "why not? you have saved my life and if you wish I will marry my daughter to you".The hunter felt very happy and told that he will  meet the businessman at the Aryankavu  temple and he disappeared. The businessman  was surprised that how could a stranger would  know  that  I  had a daughter for marriage and with confusion, he reached Aryankavu temple.

Archakar's Dream:
At the same time the temple's archakar had a dream in which Lord Ayyappan appeared and said ' wake  up my  devotee,  a sourashtra business man, is waiting  at  the  entrance of the temple. According to his wish I have united his daughter Pushkaladevi with me. The girl who  was  in  your custody is now my wife and she is in a  statue form on the left side  of  me in  the temple. I will appear along with Pushkaladevi from today. Every year I want the businessman and his community to come here and celebrate this day as our marriage festival. After that  the  Archakar  woke up from his dream  and   went  to  the  temple along  with  people. There  he  saw  the  businessman. As he opened the temple door  he saw all the lights of  the  temple  lit and a small statue of Pushkaladevi was seen near the  Lord, both  in  a  married   posture. The silk  cloth  given by  the  businessman to the hunter was found around the neck of Ayyappan.  On seeing that the businessman knew that it was the god  who  had  saved his life in the forest now his daughter was married to  the god.

King's Dream Comes true :
On the same day the king of Trivandram had a dream in which lord told all the happenings  and  wanted him to treat  the Sourashtra businessman and his community as his 'Sambanthis' and asked him to be the relative for Lord during his marriage.The king  rushed to  Aryankavu and felt happpy that his dream was true. He treated the businessman royally. He also wanted the businessman to come with  his people every year and celebrate this festival.  The king ordered that there should be a 'Eleven day grand festival' every year and the customs of the Sourashtra has to be followed  for the marriage. So  from then  onwards and  till  date,  every  year  the  Government of Kerala's representatives come  here  as  Lord's  relatives  and  the  Sourashtra people as the sambanthi to the lord,  to celebrate. Every  year, on  this  occassion a well decorated Portrait of the last king of Trivancore, Balarama Varma  is kept. Before this   photo  the engagement ceremony takes place. And in the temple, there is a 11 day festival, with each day in different posture of the lord.