Mahishi is not just a common Raakshashi behan, she's sister of Mahishasur.

#Thread on the Devi residing in Sabarimala, Devi Maalikapurathamma.

Let’s start from the beginning, shall we? How Mahishi came into being.

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There are two versions of the story, but the climax is same for both. A man by name Datta renounced the world and performed intense Tapas to transcend to greater existence. However, Leela (one account refers to her as Datta’s wife, +

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+ while another refers to her as daughter of Datta’s Guru) is in love with Datta and wants to start family with him. Once when Datta was in an intense meditation, Leela disturbed him. In a fit of rage, Datta cursed Leela to lose her beauty and become a buffalo headed being.

This is how Mahishi was born in Raakshasa kula, as daughter of Karamban and sister of Mahishasur.

Now, we all know the story about how Swami Ayyappa took Avatar to kill Mahishi and what happened in between. So, let us fast forwarding to the time when Mahishi sanhaar happened.

While Swami Ayyappa stood victorious over downed body of Mahishi, she transformed in to a young and beautiful lady. Upon inquiring, she introduces herself as Leela and narrates the story behind her appearance as Mahishi. She thanks Swami Ayyappa and insists that He marry her, +

however Swami Ayyappa declines her request politely and informs her that he’s taken a vow to be ‘naishtika brahmachari’.

Leela, on the other hand doesn’t relent, thus finally Swami Ayyappa promised her that He will marry her only when ‘kanni swami’
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(first time visitors to Sabarimala) stops coming to Sabarimala. He also promises her that she can wait close to His own abode in Sabarimala and that she will be given respect and importance on par with Him. Thus, every Ayyappa Bhakta visits Maalikapurathuamma shrine +
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(some 100 meters away from Swami Ayyappa’s shrine in Sabarimala) after having darsanam of Swami.

One of the traditions followed by ‘kanni swami’ visiting Sabarimala is to carry ‘saramkucchi’ – I’m not sure what it means.
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However, my understanding is that this denotes the arrow shot by Swami Ayyappa, indicating the place to his Father Pandalam Raja, where he wanted temple to be built. Kanni Swami’s leave this ‘saramkucchi’ at place called ‘Saramkuthi’.

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Why am narrating this suddenly? Because, beginning with Makara Vilakku festival, Maalikapurathamma leaves her shrine to check if this is the year when Swami Ayyappa will fulfil His promise of marrying her. She visits the ‘Saramkuthi’ to see if this year they’re devoid of +

‘saramkucchi’ from ‘kanni swami’ and she returns back to her shrine dejected to continue her wait.

Maalikapurathamma is carried on the back of a caparisoned elephant with traditional music including pandy melam.

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The same procession will return to Malikappuram in a silent manner which symbolizes the grief of Devi who sees thousands of ‘saramkucchis’ at Saramkuthi.

Hope you liked the story of Maalikapurathamma, and if I erred anywhere, kindly correct me.

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May Swami Ayyappa and Maalikapurathamma bless all Dharmics!

Swamiye! Saranam Ayyappa!
Maalikapurathamma Ve! Saranam Ayyappa!

Source: My Gurusamy and some websites
Pics: Bing