Importance of Ghee Filled Coconut Sabarimala Temple
Every devotee visiting the temple will carry a coconut filled with fresh ghee (ney) to be used for neyyabhishekam to Swamy Ayyappa. After having darshan of the deity the ghee taken in coconut is offered to the temple for Neyyabhishekam to Lord Ayyappa. The coconut is then thrown into the “homakundan” near Pathinettampadi (18 holy steps) in front of the temple.
Symbolic Representation of Ghee-filled coconut
Symbolically, the coconut carried by Ayyappa devotees represent the “human body” and the ghee filled in the coconut represents the “soul”. After the long trekking to Sabarimala Ayyappan Temple, and pouring of the ghee on the idol represents the joining of one’s ‘Jivatma’ (individual soul) with ‘Paramatma’ (universal soul). Throwing the coconut in the Homakundam (Fire Well) represents the body is consumed by fire, after joining one’s soul with Lord Ayyappa.
