AYYAPPAN TEMPLE IN VIJANAPURA /VIJINAPURA

Somewhere I mentioned about the Ayyappan temple in vijanapura and thereafter had the feeling that it needs more description and enlargement. In fact vijanapura has three temples ; the Ayyappan temple, the Murugan temple and Kali temple. There is a mosque also at present. I dont think there is any other place in the world blessed with all religions at one's doorsteps.

I think this Ayyappan temple at the present location came up somewhere in 1973. Previously as a small boy I remember attending Ayyappa bhajans held at a makeshift temple operating literally from a small shop behind the k r puram railway station. From the window of my house at gopal building I noticed one morning some foundation laying ceremony of the temple. We moved to our house which happenned to be adjacent to the temple from gopal building around this time.

Let me describe to you what the temple looked like during inception. It was all but one single room with an asbestos roof which could at the most accomodate some 30 people. (Malayalees in Bangalore deserve copious credit for putting up Ayyappa temples serving the spiritual needs of the multitudes. Such temples have brought amity among various linguistic groups.). For nearly fifteen years all temple activities were conducted from this small room and it was my hobby to attend bhajans at this temple and I used to look forward to them. There was a very important aspect during these times. EXACTLY AT 5:00 PM in the evening loud speakers would be tied on lamp-posts and religious songs of every flavour mostly in the malayalam language dished out from these speakers and in full throttle. Ambadi thanil oru unni... sung by P Leela used to be there on the menu almost every day. I think this practice was stopped after some years because of objections from some other communities.

The present temple most probably took shape in the 1990's; and is a full fledged temple with various dieties and the central presence of the diety of Ayyappa. Let me thank all the people involved in the inception and execution of this novel venture and let the temple continue to do the good activity in the right spirit as always.

These days Vijinapura is the official name of vijanapura and there are many Airtel communication towers seen here.