As I am going to Sabarimala temple, currently I am in "vritham". These are some austerities to be followed by the people who are going to this temple.

Given below are some of the austerities and regulations that has to be strictly followed for taking pilgrimage to Shri Sabarimala:

On the day of starting the vritham the devotee shall raise early, bath and offer prayers to family deity, Navagrahas and perform pooja to the holy mala. Then he shall go to temple with his Guru. The mala has to be received from the Guru in midst of chanting of Saranam. After wearing the mala the devotee becomes Lord Ayyappa himself and starts the demands of pious life.

The devotee shall withdraw from all social activities and spend his time by taking part in praying, poojas, bajans, visiting temples, cleaning temples, feeding the poor, helping the poor/sick and attending religious discourses.

He shall take only satvic foods and refrain 100% from taking meat, intoxicating drinks / drugs, chewing betel leaves and from smoking.

He shall not hurt anybody verbally or physically.

He shall treat all co-devotees as Lord Ayyappan himself and serve them in all the ways.

He shall not feel proud of the respect and privileges he gets when he is wearing the holy mala. When others prostrate themselves on his feet he shall not feel proud but dedicate the same to Lord Ayyappan and say aloud 'Lord Save everybody for their faith in you'.

He shall not cause inconvenience to his family members on account on observing the vritham.

As he starts his vritham every year, he shall think that he is doing the same for first time and follow all the rules of the vritham strictly.

He shall strictly follow brahmacharya (continence), refrain from sex, thinking of sex, develop passion against all women including his wife, and treat all women with motherly feeling.

He shall not attend any social function like birthdays, engagement, and wedding, etc. and shall NOT feast in anyone's home who have not undertaken the vritham.

He shall avoid being in the proximity of dead body and shall not eat anything till he bathes if he accidentally sees one.