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The Western Ghats of India Large Scale Religious Pilgrimage The Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala is located in one of the densest surviving patches of evergreen forest in the Periyar Tiger Reserve, Kerala. The temple receives over five million annual visitors during a short three-month period. This huge influx of people, the construction of new roads, and increased use of disposal packages exerts tremendous pressure on the area. Several other popular pilgrimage sites are located in similarly fragile areas of the Western Ghats. < Previous | Back to Thumbnails | Next >   Photos and captions courtesy of Ian Lockwood Up to Top