SABARIMALAPULLUMEDU

Save and Serve the families of102 Ayyappas died

in stampede on 14.01.2011

Donate liberally

PULLUMEDU RELIEF FUNDSabarimala Ayyappa Seva Samajam

TRAGEDY

Pulmedu Uppupara after the stampede

A Malikappuram Amma search for his son and relatives at the Kumali Hospital where the dead bodies lied.

Victims of Pullumedu Stampede

Pullumedu is an auspicious site of utmostemotional importance in the sacredSabarimala Poonkavanam. One amongthe eighteenhills that form thePoonkavanam, Pullumedu is only sevenkilometers away from Sabarimala. Aboutthree fourth of the total pilgrims tothe hillshrine trek to Sabarimala by this forestroute.

The Maharaja of Trvanacore, the Raja ofPandalam and the Raja of Poonjar hadchosen the Pullumedu route to visitSabarimala from very old days. The routehas attained a place in the hearts ofSabarimala pilgrims for reasons of faithand also history.

In the tragedy that occurred at Pullumeduon the makaravilakku day, on January 14,2011 at around 8 pm, 102 Ayyappadevotees died in an unprecedented rushand the resultant melee. More than fiftywere injured. The condition of many ofthose injured is critical.

The hills at Pullumedu are the tallest. Withno trees around, the entire Poonkavanamarea including Sabarimala temple,Ponnambalamedu, Pamba River,Saramkuthi, Malikappuram is clearlyvisible from this vantage position. It istherefore only natural that the devoteesthrong to Pullumedu. The holy kite -Krishnaparundu - circling the sky whileThiruvabharanam, the ornaments of theLord are brought in procession toSabarimala, ascending the eighteen steps,Pathinettam padi with Thiruvabharanam

and the subsequent Deeparadhana were allviewed in total devotion amid chanting ofSaranamanthram on the day ofMakaravilakku. Within a fewminutes the celestial lightappeared atPonnambalamedu, theMoolasthanam of SreeAyyappa. The entireatmospherereverberated with theshouts of ‘SwamiyeSaranam Ayyappa’by three lakh odddevoteesassembled atPullumedu. Withtheir heartssobbing andminds fullysatisfied by thedarshan of Makarajyothi and Makaravilakku, the Ayyappa devotees startedtheir return journey from the hilltop.

As the rush thickened several devotees on the return journey fell down oneafter another. Those who fell down were run over by the thousands in therush. The tragedy took the toll of 102 lives.

Neither there was power supply nor water supply. Also no safety measuresor arrangements for relief work. All these added to the misery and the fury.

Most of those who lost their lives belonged to economically and sociallyweaker sections. Their families have been orphaned. Most of those deadwere the main pillars of their families, leaving behind penniless wives andchildren, girls to be married off and houses with construction unfinished.

Those left behind do not know to go ahead in the days to come. Many studentshave been forced to discontinue studies. Some families are on the verge ofbeing evicted for having failed to pay rent.

The 102 unfortunate Ayyappa devotees who lost their lives are our own brothers. Even while struggling for breath in thestampede, they were holding close to their chests, the Irumudikkettu they were carrying, chanting Saranamanthra, their concernwas that the irumudikkettu should be in tact, receiving every hit for themselves. They have, therefore, turned immortal.

Let us pay our homage to the great souls. Let us share the grief of their families. Let us pray for them.

In order to help the families of the victims of the Pullumedu tragedy, the Sabarimala Ayyappa Seva Samajam is mobilsing aRelief Fund. The fund was formally inaugurated in the divine presence of Bhagavatha Hamsam Sri Malliyoor SankaranNamboodiri, by Hon’ble Minister for External Affairs Sri. S.M.Krishna. The maiden donation to the Relief Fundwas received by Sabarimala Ayyappa Seva Samajam General Secretary Sri. Kummanam Rajasekharan.

In the name of Swami Ayyappa, liberal contributions to the Relief Fund and all cooperation to attempts to rehabilitate the familiesof the Pullumedu tragedy are sought.

In the service of Swami Ayyappa,

The 102 unfortunate Ayyappadevotees who lost their lives are ourown brothers. Even while strugglingfor breath in the stampede, they wereholding close to their chests, theirumudikkettu they were carrying,chanting Saranamanthra, theirconcern was that the irumudikkettushould be in tact, receiving every hit

for themselves. They have, therefore,turned immortal.

Kummanam Rajasekaharan(General Secretary) 09447970315

M.N.Sukumaran Nambiar,Chennai. (President)

Sabarimala Ayyappa Seva SamajamCentral Office, Pathanamthitta, Kerala - 689 645. Ph: 09447137323

NB Please draw cheque/ demand draft in favour of Pullumedu Relief Fund, Sabarimala Ayyappa Seva Samajam, Pathanamthitta,Kerala. SB A/c No. 0121-001-00136856 IFC Code DLXB 0000121 Dhanalakshmi Bank, Pathanamthitta.

The fund is formally inaugurated in the divine presenceof Bhagavathahamsam Sri Malliyoor SankaranNamboodiri, by Hon’ble Minister for External AffairsSri. S.M.Krishna at Kottayam. The maiden donationto the Relief Fund was received by SabarimalaAyyappa Seva Samajam General Secretary Sri.Kummanam Rajasekaharan. Bishop Mar Crisostemof Marthoma Church, Sri M.P. Veerendra KumarForemer Minister Shri. Monci Joseph are seen.

APPEALSwami Saranam

We remember with profound grief the demise of 102 Ayyappa devotees in Pulmedu Stampede onthe Makara Vilakku day. Another 50 are injured and still under treatment. We pray that the departedsouls rest in peace. We share the sorrow of their family members.

Shri K.G. Jayan(Jayavijaya) inaugurates the condo-lence meeting to pay homage to 102 Ayyappas light-ening 102 lamps at Pandalam in the presece ofPandala Raja, Sabarimala Thanthri, Sanyasins andvarious Hindu leaders on 3.2.2011

Pullumedu Relief FundSabarimal Ayyappa Seva Samajam, Central Office, Pathanamthitta, Kerala - 689 645 Phone : 09447137323

S B. A/c No: 0 1 2 1 - 0 0 1 - 0 0 1 3 6 8 5 6, I F C Code : D L X B 0 0 0 0 1 2 1Dhanalkshmi Bank, Pathanamthitta.

Chief priest of Sabarimala Thantri Kantararu Mahadevararu, Thanthri Kantararu Rajivaru, Pandalam RajaRevathi Thirunal Ramavarmaraja, Pandalam palace President Vishakam Thirunal Ramavarmaraja,Malliyoor Sankaran Nampoothipapad, Paravoor Sridhara Thanthri, Ambalappuzha Petta Periyon ChandraSekharan Guruswami, Swami Sandeepanandagiri, Swami Vedananda Saraswathi, Thanthri VezhapparambuChithrabhanu namboothirippad, Akhil Bharata Ayyappaseva Sanghom Vice President D. Vijayakumar, AyyappaSinger K. G. Jayan (Jayavijaya), Kanyakumari Vivekanada Kendram President Sri. P. Parameswaran.

Many families are still in the shock of losing their kith and kin. Many of the dead were the sole bread earners of thierfamilies. It is the duty of every devotee to extend all help and support to the families of those victims who lost their lives forno fault of theirs. We have to support these familes in their basic needs of education, job, housing and marriage. SabarimalaAyyappa Seva Samajam is forming a relief fund for such families. We, the undersigned request every devotee to donateliberally to this fund as an expression of solidarity to the victims. May Lord Ayyappa bless all.

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