Sri Maha Mariamman Temple

AUM MURUGA SOCIETY
PROUDLY PRESENTS
WORLD SAIVA TEMPLES
SRI MAHA MARIAMMAN TEMPLE
Bangkok, Thailand
Photography by
Dr R Sri Ravindrarajah
Aum Muruga Society
15 Valda Place, Baulkham Hills,
NSW 2153, Australia
[email protected]
November 2004
http://www.eng.uts.edu.au/~ravir (under Personal)
Mariamman Temple Seal
Maha Mariamman Temple Information
• Temple opening: 6.00 am to 8.00 pm (daily) to
9.00pm (special days)
• Location: Intersection Silom Road and Pan Street,
Bangkok, Thailand; about a 10-15 minute walk from
Saladaeng BTS.
• Address: No. 2, Pan Street, Bangkok 10500, Thailand
• Offerings from devotees: Malai (garland); Two milk
packets, a bunch of un-riped banana; incense sticks;
young coconut
• Bhajans (Tamil) by Thai Hindus on every Saturday
6.00pm to 7.00pm
• Navasakthi Homam: Full Moon days
• Ganapathi Homam: Sankada Sathurthi
Maha Mariamman Temple Details
• 200 years old Saiva temple dedicated to Mariamman
• Built by South Indians (Vandiyar Family) from Thanjavur
District, Tamil Nadu
• First Saiva (Hindu) Temple in Bangkok
• New additions: Shiva Lingam, Brahma, Navagragha and
many Utsava Murthis
• Chief Priest: Agama Sironmani S. V. B. Baskara Gurukkal
• No. of Assistant Priests: Five
• Trustee: Sri Surphong Siridhornkul
• Temple builder: Muttiah Stapathy
Chief Priest Baskara Gurukkal (Since 1989)
View from Silom Road
Main Gopuram
Temple Bell
Brahma Shrine
Side Gopuram
Sri Mariamman Temple Details
• Moola Murthis: Mariamman; Varasithi Vinayagar;
Thandapanni
• Other Shrines: Siva Lingam, Brahma, Navagragha
• Golden Sleeping Buddha inside the temple
• Utsava Murthis: Natarajar with Sivagamasunthari,
Sarsawathy, Siva, Krishna, Vishnu, Subramaniyar, Kali,
Ganesh
• Guarding deities: Paichaiyi, Maduari Veeran, Periyachi,
Kathavarayan, Sapthakanni
• Puja Times: 8.30am; 11.00am; 5.00pm; 7.00pm
Thais pray Brahma
for prosperity and well-being
Main Gopuram
Brahma
Navagragha
Navagragha
View from Pan Street
Main Gopuram
Varasithi Vinayagar
(behind)
Mariamman Shrine
Thandayuthapanni Shrine
Thais consider Brahman, Vishnu and Siva as Fathers
Sivalingam shrine
Temple shop
Thai Devotees (many are Buddhists)
View along Silom Road
Main Gopuram
Side Gopuram
Madurai Veeran – Guradian Diety
Side Gopuram, Silom Road
Thai devotees with folded hands and incense sticks
Main Gopuram another view
A Thai Devotee (some devotees come to the temple up to four times a days)
Side View
Temple Side View from Silom Road
Main entrance
Flag post
Main Gopuram
Vara Siddivinayagar (behind)
Thandayuthapanni
Mariamman
Ganapathi Homam in the
temple compound 31/10/2004
Thais devotees
Temple Mahotsavam: Navarathri
• Kodiettram: Navarathri First day
• Daily Programs: Pujas; Thevaram, Nadeswaram;
Bharatha Natiyam
• Vijeyadasami: Chariot procession along the Bangkok
Roads (over 20km)
• Thais perform fasting for 10 days during this festival
period
• Thousands of Thais break thousands of coconuts during
this festivals
• Thais bring out all their God pictures from their puja
rooms to their entrances to get the blessings of Goddess
Mariamman
Mahotsavam 2004 Notice
Shops with puja items
Young coconut
Marigold garland
Oil
Milk packets
Unriped Banana
Oil lamp
Candle stand
Bali Peedam
Incense pot
Thais praying at the temple front
Beautifully arranged banana leaf and flowers
Hinduism in Thailand
• Saivaism arrived in Thailand from South India about 2000
years ago
• King has his own Brahmin priest of Thai origin
• Thailand Population 62 million
• 0.1% Hindus; 95% Buddhists; 3.8% Muslims; 0.5%
Christians
• In Thailand Hinduism and Buddhism are considered to be
close; Hindu and Buddhist rituals are conducted
simultaneously
• Thais believe that Devas are more interested in the
welfare of human beings than Buddha
Hinduism in Thailand
• Brahma is dear to the Thais, considered a most auspicious
God.
• For prosperity and well-being, small Brahma temples,
shrines and statues found at commercial centres, hotels and
restaurants.
• Thais have small temples for Siva, Vishnu, Ganesh and the
Goddess.
• No priests in these shrines; Devotees conduct their own
worship
• Devotees lit incense sticks, offer flowers, kneel down in
front of each face, pray for few minutes with folded hands
and closed eyes
Recommended Places for Food & Lodging
Hotels:
Narai Hotel, Silom Road (from 1500bhats)
Silom Village, Silom Road (from 1200bhats)
Madras Cafe (A/C Room @400bhats)
Phone: (662) 6350956;Fax: (662) 6350957
email: [email protected]
Indian Vegetarian Food:
Chennai Kitchen, 52/24 Thanon Pan, Silom,
Bangkok 10500, Thailand. Phone: (612) 236 4299
Madras Café – owned by a young Sri Lankan
(Ponnambalam Suntararasa from Batticaloa)
For other temples please visit
http://www.eng.uts.edu.au/~ravir
(under Personal)
Please send your comments to Dr Ravi
([email protected])
If you have additional information about
this temple or any videos, photos please
email to Dr Ravi or Phone (612) 9899 4271
Hindus should visit the Bangkok
Sri Maha Mariamman Temple
on your way to India or Sri Lanka
to receive the blessings of Mariamman
and
to see the the devotions of Buddhists Thais
towards Hindu Gods and Goddesses.
May God Bless the People of Thailand