The Ayyappan temple in Anna Nagar was constructed when a group of people living together decided to build a temple to worship the God they were devoted to. This temple started out as a simple and humble establishment but later on proceeded to become something enormous which is now a well-known landmark in Chennai. It has the Panchaloka idol of Ayyappan and also of other deities such as Ganesha, Anjaneyar, Durga and Muruga. The temple was expanded with the help of a number of devotees who supported it financially and morally as well. The temple is a product of team work and accordingly it serves a large number of community initiatives through which people come together. The temple has also received a number of awards for being the cleanest and best maintained temple in the city besides having high aesthetic significance. The temple celebrates most of its festivities and functions in Keralite style and this adds multicultural value to this temple.
History
When there was development work progressing throughout Chennai, residents of Anna Nagar decided to start a temple in their newly created Shanti colony. This was the stepping stone for this magnificent temple which was started initially with a makeshift tent. The government allocated a vast compound for building the temple and with the help of local people and the collected funds, the temple grew up to today’s mega scale over the years. Currently the temple is located on 40 cents of land off Visveswarayya tower.
This temple began as a small local effort and then later proceeded to become a dream of a large group of people. Their dream continued expanding until it reached the attention of officials who materialized the wishes of the common people and their dream came true when a separate location was allocated for the temple.
Architecture
The main attractive feature about this temple is its architecture which resembles Keralite temples. The temple has all the features seen in a Keralite temple and also has an auditorium which makes it viable to host religious festivals indoors. This place can accommodate more than 1000 people and is also used to perform marriages and other holy ceremonies. When one enters this temple one is transported to the age of ancient temples like those in the neighbouring state of Kerala.
The Puja carried out here also has a Keralite essence embedded in it making the rituals truly pleasing which lends a totally different feel to the atmosphere. The main deity Lord Ayyappan faces west along with Lord Ganesha. There is also a Navagraha shrine in one corner of the temple. Furthermore, at the Ayyappan temple, only Namboodhiris conduct the Pujas which adds even more to Kerala’s inherent influence on the establishment. An annual festival is celebrated every year which marks a time of great joy and happiness for the people.
Timings
The temple opens it doors at 6 A.M in the morning and shuts down in the night at 9 P.M which is marked intermittently with gaps or intervals in between for Pujas. The temple carries out a number of Pujas right from the morning till night and has a number of other religious services and practises. Most of the mantras carried out by namboodhiris are in Malayalam and Tamil.
Location
It is located in the heart of Anna Nagar beside the junction of 6th main road and 2nd avenue in Anna Nagar. It is situated in one of the busiest centres of Chennai and its proximity to the populous areas makes it a hotspot destination among people.
How to reach
This temple can be reached easily by road as it lies at the heart of Anna Nagar. Many buses ply on this route. A train station is also quite close by and the MRST trains can be availed to reach Anna Nagar before walking over to the temple. Chennai can be reached by trains from all major cities in India and nearby towns at reasonable fares. Bus and taxi fares are cheap too thus increasing pocket friendly commuting options. Make sure you visit this temple when you are in Chennai as it is a truly unique and remarkable temple like no other just like the mother pearl among a group of diamonds!
Last Updated on : 12/09/2013
