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Mahalingapuram Ayyappan Temple

Coordinates: 13°03′23.0″N 80°13′54.5″E / 13.056389°N 80.231806°E / 13.056389; 80.231806
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Mahalingapuram Ayyappan Temple
Religion
AffiliationHinduism
DistrictChennai district
DeityAyyappan
FestivalsGokulashtami, Makar Sankranti, Chitrai Vishu, 1st day of Tamil Karthigai month
Location
LocationNungambakkam
StateTamil Nadu
CountryIndia
Mahalingapuram Ayyappan Temple is located in Chennai
Mahalingapuram Ayyappan Temple
Ayyappan Temple, Mahalingapuram (Chennai)
Geographic coordinates13°03′23.0″N 80°13′54.5″E / 13.056389°N 80.231806°E / 13.056389; 80.231806
Architecture
TypeKerala Architecture
Completed1974[1]
Specifications
Temple(s)2
Elevation34 m (112 ft)
Website
www.ayyappantemplesabs.org

Mahalingapuram Ayyappan Temple or Mahalingapuram Ayyappan - Guruvayurappan Temples is an Ayyappan Temple located at Mahalingapuram in the neighbourhood of Nungambakkam[2] in Chennai district in the state of Tamil Nadu in the peninsular India with the geographical coordinates of 13°03′23.0″N 80°13′54.5″E / 13.056389°N 80.231806°E / 13.056389; 80.231806 (i.e., 13.056400°N, 80.231800°E) and at an altitude of about 34 m above the mean sea level. This temple complex contains Ayyappan temple and Guruvayurappan temple adjacent to each other. And is built based on Kerala Architecture. Swamy Ayyappan appears to devotees as in a sitting posture on Srichakra with the symbol of chinmuthra, the height being about 2 ft. The temple is constructed in the year 1974.

The Ayyappan devotees who wish to visit Sabarimala Temple in Kerala follow heritage fasting procedures for 41 days from the first day of Tamil month Karthigai. In this manner, the devotees from Mahalingapuram and its surrounding areas start the procedures after worshipping Ayyappan in this Mahalingapuram Ayyappan temple.[3]

Every Ayyappan Temple is noted with the word Thaththuvamasi (തത്ത്വമസി in Malayalam). The quote means 'You are what you seek'. That is, it is the essence that we must realize that the divinity is filled within everyone.

Each and every Ayyappan temple is built with a model of a structure with 18 steps. Mahalingapuram Ayyappan Temple also has this structure and the 18 steps imply the following:

  1. Birth is impermanent.
  2. Shankya Yoga.
  3. Karma Yoga.
  4. Wisdom Yoga.
  5. Sannyasi Yoga.
  6. Meditation Yoga.
  7. Gnana Vignana Yoga.
  8. Atsara Brahma Yoga.
  9. Rajavidya Rajaguhya Yoga.
  10. Vibhuti Yoga.
  11. Visvarupa Darshan Yoga.
  12. Bhakti Yoga.
  13. Seshatra Vibhaga Yoga.
  14. Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga.
  15. Purushottama Yoga.
  16. Taivasurasambat Vibhaga Yoga.
  17. Chratatharaya Vibhaga Yoga.
  18. Moksha Sannyasa Yoga.[4]

Shrines

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The shrines of deities such as Ayyappan, Shiva, Bhagavati, Ganapathy, Subramaniar are some of the important shrines in this temple.

Festivals

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Gokulashtami,[5] Makar Sankranti, Chithirai Vishu, 1st day of Tamil month Karthigai are some of the important festivals celebrated in this temple.

References

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  1. ^ Infokerala Communications Pvt Ltd (1 September 2019). Pilgrimage to Temple Heritage 2019. Info Kerala Communications Pvt Ltd. ISBN 978-81-934567-8-1.
  2. ^ Infokerala Communications Pvt Ltd (1 September 2017). Pilgrimage to Temple Heritage 2017. Info Kerala Communications Pvt Ltd. ISBN 978-81-934567-0-5.
  3. ^ "ஐயப்பன் கோயில்களில் மாலை அணிந்து விரதம் தொடங்கிய பக்தர்கள்". Hindu Tamil Thisai (in Tamil). Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  4. ^ "சபரிமலை சுவாமி ஐயப்பன் கோவில் வரலாறும், சிறப்புகளும்". Samayam Tamil (in Tamil). Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  5. ^ பெ, ராகேஷ். "சென்னை மகாலிங்கபுரம் ஐயப்பன் கோயிலில் கோகுலாஷ்டமி கொண்டாட்டம்; கிருஷ்ணா, ராதை கெட்டப்பில் சுட்டீஸ்!". Vikatan (in Tamil). Retrieved 30 December 2022.
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