Real concept of ghee coconut

 Ghee coconut:

                 The actual journey to Šabarimala commences with the Pallikettu or Irumudi kattu ceremony in which the pilgrim fills with utmost devotion, a drained and dried coconut with ghee (clarified butter) as guided by Guruswami.

                  The melted butter represents “soul” which is always transparent and pure whereas coconut represents “physical body” which contains impurities also. By taking the Irumudi with coconut filled with ghee, it symbolizes the submission of both body and soul to Lord Ayyappa.

Concept of Erumudi kattu:

               The pilgrim carries the irumudi or a cloth bag with two pouches on his head. 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 padi kettu (18 steps stair).

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. The puja items are needed to be taken for the pilgrimage are a cleaned coconut to fill ghee; Kaaniponnu (currency coins); raw rice and jiggery; betel leaves, areca nut pieces (supari) and coins; 2 other coconuts; turmeric powder, sandal powder/paste, vibhuthi (sacred ash), Rose water, Avil (beaten – flattened rice), Malar (puffed rice), jiggery, agarbathis (incense sticks), camphor, pepper (for Vavar and the optional items like candy sugar, small quantity of honey, dry grapes, boiled raw rice and vegetables. Towels, cloths to change after bath and bed sheets for the night are also carried by the pilgrim with the Irumudi. Some of the items are optional and not carried now a days.It is believed that these two pouches contain the effects of the pilgrim's good and
bad deeds in the past.