Pandalam

Pandalam was the seat of a small royal family in southern Kerala and is closely bound to the tradition of Ayyappa at Sabarimala. According to the story, the king of Pandalam adopted the child Manikantan, who later came to be worshipped as Ayyappa. The family’s connection with the mountain shrine is expressed in ceremonies and in the procession carrying sacred ornaments from the palace.

Pandalam remained a distinct principality as Travancore expanded around it. In 1820 it was taken over by Travancore, which also assumed administration of its temples, including Sabarimala. The royal family nevertheless retained a ceremonial association with the shrine. The story of the adopted prince and the journey from the palace to the forested hills continue to bind the two places in religious memory.