Navi Mumbai: Malayalees unite to build Ayyappa temple at Kharghar

Temples (there are two others for Ganapathy and Annapurna Devi) were designed by Kanippayyur Krishnan based on Kerala temple architecture

For thousands of Malayalees from Kharghar, Friday was a special day, as the dream they had worked for the past few years and contributed to, an Ayyappa temple, became a reality. The Kharghar Ayyappa Seva Sangham (KASS) organised a Prathista Mahotsavam from April 14 to April 22 and the prathista was done at the temple on Friday at sector 15, Kharghar.

Speaking to mid-day, Nandkumar Nair, secretary, KASS said, "The temple Thantri Brahmashri Azhakath Prakashan Namboothirippad, assisted by 10 other Namboothiries took care of various poojas and rituals."

Lord Ayyappan being the main deity, is placed in the Shree Kovil, whereas Ganapathy and Annapurna Devi are the Upa devathas in the Upa temples inside the temple complex.

Nair added, "The temples have been designed by Kanippayyur Krishnan Namboothirippad based on the Kerala temple architecture and the temple walls have been made out of Krishnashila. The wood used is covered by copper sheets and the deities have been sculpted in single stones by Sunil Krishna and his men from Kshethropasana, Thrissur."

Work began in 2018

According to Nair, the work on the temples started with an application sent to CIDCO in June 2009, followed by allotment of land (702.63 sq metres) for a 60 year lease against payment of R70 lakh, which was sanctioned in November 2015.

"In May 2016, Ashtamangala Devaprashnam was conducted, followed by appointment of a temple thantri and architect, and then work on the boundary fencing was done in October 2016. A bhoomi pooja was done in May 2017 by the temple thantri. Also necessary Commencement Certificate from CIDCO was obtained and the work started in July 2018," he said.

Nair said apart from the pujas and rituals, every evening there are cultural and spiritual programmes in the temple premises, which started on April 14, with an orchestra by Baburaj and team. There is also annadaanam. On April 20 at 8 pm, Pancha Thayambak will be performed by Mattannur Udayan Namboothri and his 20 team members, who are coming from Kerala." Nair added, "The temple construction cost over a crore and in the second phase, we intend to construct a temple Gopuram (gate tower) and a multipurpose hall with a seating capacity for 200 people. The estimated expenses will be in crores and we are hopeful that our members will wholeheartedly support this too."

Nair added, "After consecration of the deities on Friday the temple will remain shut for public darshan for two days, though the rituals will continue and finally on April 22, at 5.30 am, the temple will be opened again for the public thereafter for daily darshan - 5.30 am to 10.00 am and 5.30 pm to 10.00 pm."

Sculptor speaks

Sunil Krishna, 49, worked in a private cargo company in Vile Parle and stayed in Kalamboli, when he shifted base to Thrissur and learnt vastu from Vastu Gurukulam in Pathanamthitta, Kerala almost 13 years ago.

Today Sunil runs a temple construction company called Kshethropasana, Thrissur which employs nearly 300 artisans, 60 per cent of who are from Kerala and 40 per cent from Tamil Nadu. He is credited with constructing nearly 200 temples across India and one in Malaysia. He is constructing a similar temple in Mira Road.

Sunil, said, "It took nearly five months to complete the Ayyappa temple in Kharghar with the help of 60 men. Nearly 50 tons of special Krishnashila stones were selected from Tirpur in Tamil Nadu and 1,400 kg of pure copper from Haryana was used to cover the roof of the shrine."

"We transported the stones to Kharghar and did the entire carving work on the stones and even made the deities at the temple site, as special care and rituals are followed as the construction work progresses," he said.

"All stone carving for KASS Ayyappa temple is carefully joined, the deity idol is made in single stone, and to protect the stone and to extend its life, we have used traditional methods to make special paste to give the black shade, which will be redone after three years. These stones as per vedic temple records have a life of over 2,000 years, with no repairs or maintenance required," he said.

Sunil has constructed the triplicate Ayyappa Devasdhanam in Johor, Malaysia. Asked the meaning of triplicate, Sunil said, "The original Ayyappa temple is in Sabrimala, Kerala followed by a replica in Tamil Nadu. The third replica in Johor, Malaysia I made in the year 2016.

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