SABARIMALAI

Before the disappearance of Lord Siva, the infant was informed of his mission-annihilation of Mahishi and the type of life he had to live in the Kingdom of Pandalam for a period of 12 years. A golden bell was hung round his neck to signify perhaps, his divinity and so he was called Manikantha or Manikandhara.

Further, his advent fulfilled the promise of Ayyappa to Vijaya, a righteous Brahmin living in the Pandian country in his past life, who expressed his wish of fathering Dharma Sastha himself when the latter appeared before the former for giving boons. So king Rajasekhara's cup of joy overflowed when he saw Manikanta crying in wilderness. He brought him home with utmost hubilation, but the scenario of his own palace reacted into a different way. 

His queen who was pining for a child, though received him with boundless affection, she turned a venomous serpent when she gave birth to a son, whom she wanted to make heir to the throne. Natural! Rajasekar's infatuation for the queen was so hopeless, that it made him blind against the ill-treatment meted out to Manikanta. Twelve years passed.

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