Holy Pilgrimage - Hindu temples in Canada
Canada Sri Ayyappan Hindu Temple,
Scarborough, ON, Canada
Email: canadasriayyappan@gmail.com
Sri Ayyappa Samajam of Ontario
CANADA SRI AYYAPPAN TEMPLE
635 Middlefield Road,
Scarborough, ONTARIO. M1V 5B8
Tel: 416 321 6104
About the Temple
Canada Sri Ayyappan Hindu temple is a
non-profit religious organization registered in 1991 in the province of
Ontario. The temple has Charity Registration No. 132264607RR001. Our temple was
the FIRST Sri Dharma Sastha (Ayyappan Temple) established in Canada.
We respect and comply with Canadian Government rules & regulations and provincial law in force at all times.
We respect and comply with Canadian Government rules & regulations and provincial law in force at all times.
We have a structured organization
within our temple. Please visit ‘Temple Charter’ for our Vision & Mission,
Our Goals, Our commitments and responsibilities.
History
The idol of Sri Dharma Sastha (also
called Sri Ayyappan) was earlier a part of Sri Hariharan’s (devotee) family in
Markham. As a result of the interest and efforts of few other devotees,
from 15.01.1991 daily pooja was started for sastha and perfomed by Mani
Iyer, son-in-law of Kothamangalam Subbu (noted cine personality). The daily
pooja was continued from that day onwards.
Subsequently, the idol was moved to
Woburn College, on Ellesmere Road in Scarborough, Ontario on every Sunday and
the lord was offered abishegam & bajans in the morning and moved back to
residence in the evening.
In June 1993, Sri Jayaratham, a
devotee published a souvenir called “Makara Jyothi” at the location of 2691
Markham Road, Unit 14. The Sastha was moved to this location and kept on a
table and a shelter was built subsequently so as to commence the daily worship
from here.
In 1995, the devotees decided to build
a Sannidhanam for Sastha but the space was insufficient so Units 18 & 19
was rented to enhance the activities. The place was offered for rent with a
condition that it should be vacated when the owner needed. A separate
sannidhanam was created and formal kumbabishegam was performed in 1996
our lord was housed there till 1998 as the owner needed the area.
The Sastha was moved to Middlefield
road, Unit 10. In 1998, around 5 acres of land was purchased in 635 Middlefield
Road. After making all arrangements the idol of Sri Dharma Sastha was moved to
this premise in 1999.
In 2005, bhoomi pooja was performed in
our premises and a big temple was built (as you see now) and our Sastha
was moved here along with another big idol of Sastha installed. In 2009
kumbabishegam was performed for the temple.
The temple as you see now is a result of hard work
of many, public support and, of course, with grace of Lord himself.Mission, Vision & Goals
Our Vision
To Be Recognized By Devotees As Their First choice of temple To Visit In Canada.Our Mission
- To user our expertise, energy & passion to attract devotees by providing excellent service.
- To organize rituals & poojas at temple for welfare and well being of devotees across the world.
- To create a value for devotees, sponsors, donors, investors or our temple.
- Strive to follow the principles of Hindu Dharma Sastras.
- To ensure due regard to quality, safety and environment.
- To develop a sense of satisfaction and temptation among devotees to care for our temple
Our Goals
- To continually enhance our temple’s reputation in the achievement of our Vision and Mission.
- To be united, maintain and save our temple which is a result of hard work To care for our employees.
- To impart religious, educational and cultural values of Hindu Dharma to our community and future generations.
- To impart religious, educational and cultural values of Hindu Dharma to our community and future generations.
Our Commitments to Devotees
- To offer a service with a smile, always.
- To listen to ideas and implement wherever possible.
- Strive to organize poojas, rituals, bhajans, pilgramages, spiritual tours as required across the world.
- Written answer for written questions.
- Acknowledge queries and complaints within 2 hours of receipt.
Our Responsibilities to Devotees
- To listen, be patient and understand requirements.
- To be fair, helpful and accessible.
- To be courteous and respectful.
- To be honest and transparent.
- Regularly assess devotees satisfaction through ongoing measurement process.
Upcoming Events
Makara Mandala viratha arambam and Malai anithal on saturday 16 november, 2013
mandala viratham_Layout 1Makara Mandala Festival will commence on saturday 16 november, 2013 and Swamys observing Makara Mandala viratham are requested to contact the temple to register by mail or telephone. Accommodation could be arranged upon request.
மகர மண்டல விரத பூஜா ஆரம்பம் மற்à®±ுà®®் à®®ாலை அணிதல்.
சனிக்கிà®´à®®ை நவம்பர் 16 2013.
Mandala Pooja
Rituals and Traditions
Vrutham or austerities is the essential component of Mandal Pooja and are strictly followed by the orthodox and traditional people. The austerities prescribed are stiff for the people who wish to take pilgrimage at Sabarimala shrine on the day of Mandala Pooja or the auspicious Makara Sankranti day.
Ideally Vruthum should be of 41 days in which devotee must lead a simple and pious life. Vruthum starts from the day the devotee wears Tulasi or Rudraksha Mala with a locket of Lord Ayyappa till he makes a pilgrimage to Sabarimala and removes the Mala. Between the period of wearing of Mala and taking it off, the devotee is called ‘Ayyappan’ or ‘Swami’. In this period devotee should keep his mind and body clean and pure and must restrain from indulging in worldly pleasures. Devotees must not smoke or consume alcohol and non-vegetarian food. He must abstain from sex, pray twice during the day and should not hurt the feelings of others. It is believed that proper vruthums help to cleanse the soul of a devotee and pilgrimage without proper vruthums is not advised. Female between the age of 1-9 and 50 above are also eligible for vruthum and are called ‘Malikapuram’ ( The Shakti of Lord Ayyappa).
Latest News
Launching new version of the website.
In the noble task of spreading and preserving our esteem “SANADANA DHARMA” far and wide across the globe we now updated our website and included more features in order to assist our devotees to be informed of the activities of our temple.50,000 celebrate new Hindu temple
Lord Ayyappan has a new home.An eponymous temple devoted to the Hindu god was consecrated in Scarborough with an elaborate ceremony spanning the long weekend and attended by an estimated 50,000 people from across North America.
“It’s a very important day for us,” said Thiru Sivasamy, devotee, volunteer and treasurer of the temple board, during the inauguration yesterday. “The temple has been built by first-generation Sri Lankan and Indian immigrants who may not have had too much money to donate, but had faith.”
The Canada Sri Ayyappan Temple – on Middlefield Rd. near Finch Ave. E. – took more than a decade to build and cost $10 million. Yesterday, followers celebrated Lord Ayyappan’s homecoming in the 22,000-square-foot space.
“Everything is magnificent,” said Arunshee Arulanantham, a 14-year-old from Scarborough, who spent the weekend volunteering at the temple. “I’ve never seen anything like the sculptures here.”
Except for a 30-metre yellow and red tower that can be seen from afar, the exterior isn’t striking. Inside, though, it’s breathtaking.
There is one large two-storey hall. The granite statues of the deities are enclosed in three main chambers and 18 smaller ones, each adorned with intricate designs and paintings.
The sculptures were created by a dozen artists from southern India, said Sivasamy.
On Saturday and Sunday, the first two days of the inauguration ceremony, worshippers were allowed to smear oil on deities as part of the ritual.
“It’s only allowed during consecration,” said Sivasamy. Devotees are permitted to touch the deities once every 12 years, with the next consecration coming in 2021. Until then, only priests are allowed inside the chambers.
“That’s one reason why so many people come; it’s an opportunity no one wants to miss,” he said.
Dressed in traditional finery – women in silk saris and some men in dhotis, a type of long skirt – worshippers prayed and admired their new temple yesterday.
Most circled the shrines, trying to sneak a peek at the statues. The deities were draped with garlands of flowers and given food and fruit as offerings. Barefoot devotees stood with hands folded and mouths agape. Others just sat and watched as priests performed rituals.
Even as crowds jostled and a microphone roared, there was a sense of serenity inside the temple.
Since the structure can hold only 1,000 people, thousands of others sat in a tent or on the lawn outside, listening to sermons in Tamil over loudspeakers.
Some also visited the old temple on the site, one-tenth the size of the new one – a reminder of how quickly this barren land was transformed.
For sisters Tharaniya and Thanusha Thevarajah, the temple is a symbol of a strong and diverse society. “People from different countries came together to create this amazing place,” said Tharaniya, 17.
Pranavan Ganeshalingam, a student at York University’s Schulich School of Business, said the temple has helped bring him closer to his culture. The 19-year-old, whose parents are from Sri Lanka, volunteered all weekend with two dozen other friends.
“I’ve seen other temples, gone there too, but this one I’ve seen being built in front of me,” said Ganeshalingam. “I feel drawn to it.”
Om Tat Sat
(Continued...)
(My
humble salutations to the great devotees
, wikisources and Pilgrimage tourist guide for the
collection )
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