Pathanamthitta (Kerala) | Two Kasaragod natives undertook a gruelling 8,000 kilometre and 223-days long journey by foot from north India to the Lord Ayyappa shrine at Sabarimala here with prayers for world peace, a Travancore Devaswom Board said on Saturday.

Sanathkumar Nayak and Sampathkumar Shetty, who hail from Ramdas Nagar in Kasaragod district, left for Badrinath from Kerala on May 26, 2024, by train.

From there, they filled up their 'irumudi kattu' (the traditional bundle a devotee brings to the Lord Ayyappa shrine) and set off on foot for Sabarimala on June 3, TDB said in a release.

During their journey, they visited various pilgrimage centres and temples, including four monasteries established by Shankaracharya, and reached Sannidhanam via Ayodhya, Ujjain, Dwarka, Puri, Jagannath, Rameshwaram, Achankovil and Erumeli.

They stayed at various temples, ate local fare or cooked their own food as they walked 8,000 kilometres to reach the hill-top shrine.

On arriving at Sabarimala on Saturday, they were welcomed with 'chukku vellam' (water infused with dried ginger) by special officer Praveen and assistant special officer Gopakumar, the release said.