The annual two-month festival at the Sabarimala temple in Kerala attracts between 45 and 50 million pilgrims each year. During this time, pilgrims make their way up a hillside to enter the Sabarimala temple where the Hindu god Ayyappan is believed to have meditated. The mass of pilgrims is primarily composed of men, as women aged 10 to 50 (those of typical reproductive age) are not allowed inside the temple, due to the fact that Ayyappan was celibate in Hindu mythology.
Photo caption: Rush at Sabarimala Credit: Wikipedia user Avsnarayan / CC0 1.0
Sources:
» BBC.. "Pilgrims killed in stampede at Indian festival" January 15, 2011.
» DailyBhaskar.com. "Why millions throng Sabarimala shrine." January 15, 2011.
» Swami Ayappan Welfare and Charity Organisation Malaysia. "Ayyappan History." July 30, 2009.