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Where service is divine
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The Sri Ayyappa Seva Samajam, Anna Nagar, has been rendering yeoman service to the needy for 25 years. A look at its activities.
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THE ANNA Nagar Ayyappan Temple celebrated its silver jubilee last year. For the Sri Ayyappa Seva Samajam, Anna Nagar, it has been a long journey since 1979 when the Samajam started a charitable medical centre for the poor and needy.
The Samajam's thrust has always been on community welfare. Food packets are distributed to the poor daily and also sent to homes such as Vasantham, Banyan, Home for the Physically Handicapped and Uduvam Karangal. Blood donation, medical and immunisation camps are held regularly. More than 50 patients were benefited by the Samajam's free cataract surgeries last year.
"As part of our charitable activities, we have provided uniforms to more than 300 schoolchildren from Corporation schools the past two years. Educational assistance is also offered to deserving students to enable them continue their studies. We have never hesitated in providing medical aid to patients needing life-saving surgeries or other treatment. In fact, the temple has contributed during natural calamities as well, to the Prime Minister's and Chief Minister's Funds. And the important thing is, we serve people belonging to any caste, creed or religion," says N.S. Pillai, president of the Samajam.
Anna Nagar was developed as a model town in the late 1960s. Then, Ayyappa devotees in Shanti Colony celebrated the annual vilakku pooja during the mandala-makaravilakku season. It was a festive occasion for residents in the area and their response to the yearly pooja resulted in the formation of the Sri Ayyappa Seva Samajam, with 14 members, in 1976. Members contributed Rs. 38,000 towards initial payment for the seven grounds allotted to the Samajam by the Tamil Nadu Housing Board.
P.N. Subramaniam, the founder-president, (late) P. Chandrasekhara Menon, the second president, and (late) P.V. Nair were the guiding force behind the temple's construction. (Late) R. Ratnam, then chairman of Sundaram Industries, and (late) P. Velayudham helped with financial support. "The temple has thrived only through members' contributions," Pillai says.
And so, with the active support of members, construction of the temple began. Temple architect Kanipayyoor Krishnan Namboodiri provided a typical Kerala-style plan, with a chuttambalam (inner corridor) for the temple. The consecration of the idol was performed on May 13, 1984 by Thanthri (late) Sri Ambili Krishna Vadyan Namboodiri and Sri Kesavan Bhattathripad, former chief priest at Sabarimala, with the panchaloka Ayyappan idol made by Chenganur T. Rajarathinam. The Anna Nagar Ayyappan Temple has shrines for Ganesha, Muruga, Durga, Anjaneya, Navagrahas and Nagaraja. Temple poojas are conducted by Kerala namboodiris, headed by the chief priest Parameshwar Namboodiri from Pazheli Illam in Calicut. Among the several poojas held at the temple, mahaganapathy homam and mritunjaya homam performed as offerings by devotees throughout the year are special.
Large number of Sabarimala pilgrims visit the Anna Nagar temple for maladharanam, irumudikettu and annadhanam. All devotees are provided facilities for worship and offerings. Bhajans and discourses are held at the nadamandapam that can accommodate more than 1,000 people. Bhagavatha sapthahams are conducted by acharyas at the Adi Sankara auditorium, built in koothambalam style.
The yearly temple festival is celebrated during the second week of December. Arattu procession (when the utsavamoorthy is carried from the temple to the Marina), panguni uthiram, pratishta dinam, Rama Navami, Skanda Shasti, Vinayaka Chaturthi and Navarathri are also celebrated. Every fourth year, kotiarchana is performed by Ayyappa devotees observing vritham.
In 1998, the Anna Nagar Ayyappan Temple won the prestigious Mylapore Academy Award for the best maintained temple in Chennai.
SASHI NAIR
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