IRUMUDI KETTU

Irumudi kettu is an inseparable item during the Mandala period pilgrimage to Sabarimala. What is Irumudi kettu? As the name suggests it is a bundle of 2 bundles. Iru means two, mudi means pouch and kettu means knot or bundle. It is a two compartment bundle carried on the head by the pilgrims/devotees of Lord Ayyappan at Sabarimala. Irumudi is the travel kit of the devotee to the temple. This has to be carried only by those who observe the austerities or vratha of 41 days.

Those who had the vratha with the Irumudi kettu only are allowed to proceed to the Sannidhanam (place of worship) at Sabarimala climbing the 18 steps ( holy 18 steps). 

The Irumudi is a specially designed bag made of usually hand woven cotton cloth with two compartments. It will be like a cotton cloth stitched to make two pouches/bags one each at the ends with a small length of the cloth in between the bags. It is more or less like the hold all used during the train journeys around 50 years back. The color of the cloth will be black, dark blue, saffron, red or white. The two compartments are identified as the mun mudi (bag of front side) and pin mudi (bag of back side). The front portion or mun mudi is to keep the offerings and pooja articles to the deities and the back portion (pin mudi) is to keep the personal belongings of the devotee.