Kanni Ayyappan

Beliefs related with Kanni Ayyappan Kanni Ayyappan or First time Sabarimala climber is a
unique feature of Sabarimala and there said a story with this.

It is believed that Lord Ayyappa has givenhis word to Malikappurathu devi that he will marry her
if any Kanni Ayyappans fails to come to Sababrimala in an year. Unfortunately, such thing never occurred and still Malikappuram devi is waiting here for such anyear.

Those who coming first to Sabarimala should follow certain rituals and first of its kind is to find a guruswamy, he should have completed eighteen year coming to Sabarimala, and wear the bead mala or rudraksha mala. He should follow strict penance of 41 years and should not violate it.

He should fill the irumudikettu with the help of guruswamy and raise the Sarana slogans before heading to Sabarimala. He also should tale a divine dip at the Holy River Pampa and should enact the pettathullal at Erumeli temple. He also should stick the arrow at Saramkuthy, so as to help Malikappuram devi to find  that Kanni Ayyappan have visited this year also.
If a devotee coming to Sabarimala for the first time have followed these strict penance could be allowed to step in the holy golden eighteen steps to Sannidhanam