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It is widely
believed that worship at this shrine cures many ills which explains why devotees come here
from all over the country and even abroad including non-Hindus. The chief offering
made is mukhacharthu and muzhukappu i.e. decorating the face and whole body respectively
with sandal paste.
The annual festival-arattu-is a 10-day event commencing with the kodiyettam or
flag-hoisting ceremony on Kartika day and ending with arattu on Uttram day in Wen6rn
(March-April).
Varkala is also famous for the Papanasam holy spring, which is a health resort in addition
to being a place, which elevates the pilgrim spiritually. Sree Narayana Guru, the
great social reformer, chose the nearby Sivagiri here for meditation. He built the Sarada
Mutt temple at Sivagiri, which attracts innumerable devotees.
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