Ayyappa Puja
        Ayyappa Puja (Makara Vilakku) is performed on the day of Makara Sankranti, which is usually January 14th or 15th. The Ayyappa puja is the highlight of a vrata started forty one days before the Makara Sankranti. Ayyappa devotees take a vow (vrata) to live a strict religious life, wear black clothing, and make a pilgrimage to a temple of Ayyappa Swami. The main Ayyappa temple is Sabarimala in Kerala. Each year hundreds of thousands of devotees climb the steep mountain trail in order to perform puja to Ayyappa Swami at Sabarimala. Ayyappa Swami is also known as “Harihara Putra,” the son of both Vishnu (Hari) and Siva (Hara). According to legend, Vishnu took the form of Mohini (“mind captivating”) in order to deceive the Asuras (demons) into returning the nectar (amrta) of immortality that had been created by the churning of the Milk Ocean. Mohini was successful in her mission and returned the nectar to the gods. Siva fell in love with the enchanting Mohini and a child, Ayyappa Swami, was born to them. Like his father, Ayyappa Swami is a great yogi and spends most of his time in meditation. According to legend, Ayyappa Swami interrupts his mediation on the day of Makara Sankranti and opens his eyes to bless the world.

        At our Balaji Temple, we perform the ritual bathing (abhishekam) and worship (archana) for Sri Ayyappa Swami on the Makara Sankranti day. On the Saturday following Makara Sankranti, we celebrate Ayyappa Puja with abhishekam, Padi Puja (worship of the eighteen small steps leading to Sri Ayyappa Swami Sannidhi), and a special procession around the Temple hallways (prakaram) to the accompaniment of drums (Chendai and Panchavadyam) played by Chicago area devotees from Kerala, India. This is followed by special bhajans to Sri Ayyappa Swami, Harivarasanam, archana, and arati. The entire event creates an intense spiritual atmosphere at the Temple and captivates the devotees.