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Home , Meenakshi, Shaivism, Suprabhatam, Vishnu

SRI TEMPLE SELF-GUIDED TOUR

281.997.5970 • VisitPearland.com INTRODUCTION

The Sri Meenakshi Temple welcomes visitors from all over the world. The Temple is open 365 days a year. Visiting hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. each day. Appropriate clothing should be worn to show respect to the Temple and to the Deities. Suitable clothing should cover the shoulders and knees. You must remove your shoes before going into the Temple, but socks are allowed. Photos are permissible.

Organized services occur on Sunday. During the week, devotees come to the Temple at various times to pray.

When entering the Temple, always go to the left in a clock- wise circle. The significance of always going to the left is to keep ‘the ’ on ‘the right’.

HISTORY

The Sri Meenakshi Temple is the 3rd built in the United States since the 1970’s, which was the peak of the Hindu immigrant settlement in the United States of America.

The Temple construction started on a 5 acre property in the 1970’s. The Maha Kumbhabhishekam (inauguration) was performed in June 1982. Many volunteers and devotees have contributed to the growth and development of the Sri Meenakshi Temple over the years.

This Temple is the only temple off the shores of dedicated to Meenakshi, who is the of Marriage. Sri Meenakshi is the symbolic representation of energy in the female form, manifesting the power of , who depicts matter. It is an exact replica of the Sree Meenakshi Temple in , India. The Hindu Temples in are all similar in structure with 4 corner temples that surround the main temple. In the front of the temples, the tall, intricately created main gateways or “” make for great architectural sights. The granite you see throughout the property is all imported from India while the cement body is produced locally.

BEGIN

Start the self-guided tour at the back entrance of the Main Temple Complex, away on the opposite side from Bailey Road. Enter and go to the left. Walk around to the front entrance of the Main Temple. 1 The MAIN TEMPLE is the primary worship center within the complex, located in the center. In the four corners of the temple, there are four smaller temples.

The Hindu dates back to about 1900 BCE to 1400 BCE. It is considered to be the oldest religion in the world and also the most tolerant. Temple teaches similar principles as other : peace, love for each other, and that the world will become a better place for everyone to live.

Because the local Hindu population is so diverse, along with the main deity Sri Meenakshi and Siva of the Shivite traditions, Lord , or Lord , along with Padmavathy of Vaishnava traditions are also consecrated in the temple. The temple has become a confluence of the several traditions of worship. There are currently 16 and celebrated at the Sri Meenakshi Temple.

Hindu worship is primarily an individual act rather than a communal one, as it involves making personal offerings to the deity.

2 Enter the Temple through the MAIN DOORS. Remove your shoes if you are still wearing any, but socks are accepted.

Puja (pooja) is the traditional, religious, ritualistic observation conducted by the priests as prescribed by the sacred scriptures of Hindu . is the act of showing reverence to the God through invocations, , and offerings. A deity is an image consecrated to be filled with cosmic energy and serves as the focal point for honoring and communicating with God.

3 INSIDE THE MAIN TEMPLE there are 4 main shrines which are dedicated to Shiva, Meenakshi, Vishnu, and .

In , there is a ‘ of gods’, symbolizing many concepts and sections of pray to them as their ‘Ishta Devathas’, or favorite, personal deities. There are people who visit the Temple who believe in Hinduism, and then there are visitors who also practice other religions. Different people profess affinity to particular deities within the Temple; performing rituals as part of their worship. You may see people presenting a prasadam, or offering, to the shrine of their deity. This can come in the form of jewelry, fruit, flowers, or a sari.

4 In front of each deity, you will see an OFFERING PLATE with a flame and also a bowl of powder that will be used for the tilak, or marking, that signifies which god they worship. The devotees of Shiva apply sacred ashes, the devotees of Vishnu apply sandalwood paste, and the worshippers of Shakthi apply a red turmeric powder. The tilak is applied in various patterns which represents their affinity to a certain god or goddess. Traditionally, the hands of the devotee will hover over the flame, then apply the tilak to their forehead before praying and/or making their prasadam.

Each morning, the priests who live on-site practice their worship rituals. The day begins at 8:30 a.m. with the morning , or , which is a collection of hymns or verses recited to awaken the deity in Hinduism.

Throughout the Temple, you may notice that various birds or animals are depicted alongside their deity. In the Hindu religion, this is symbolic of their vehicle, allowing them to get from Point A to Point B very quickly. FOUR SHRINES INSIDE THE MAIN TEMPLE

5 SHIVA, OR SUNDARESWARA (SIVA), is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. His shrine is on the left inside the main Temple. He is the Supreme Being within , one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Shiva symbolizes the creative destruction of life and represents the matter and auspiciousness. , a bull, is Shiva’s mode of transportation. The bull represents strength.

6 MEENAKSHI is located in the center of the Temple. Goddess Meenakshi is the symbolic representation of energy in the female form, manifesting the power of Siva, who depicts matter. The two are the passive and active aspects of the Absolute Reality. Known as an of the Hindu Goddess - and consort of Shiva - who is worshipped mainly by South Indians. She is also one of the few Hindu female deities to have a major temple devoted to her - the far famed Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai, . She is also considered the goddess of Marriage. Meenakshi is wed to Shiva by Vishnu.

7 VISHNU, OR VENKATESWARA, can be found to the right of Meenakshi’s shrine. He is one of the principal deities of Hinduism, and the Supreme along with and Shiva, Vishnu forms a Hindu . Vishnu is considered to be the protector and sustainer of the universe. He is shown with four hands holding a lotus (petals symbolizing unfolding creation), a (primordial sound of every creation), and a (sharp weapon and mace symbolizing the power to destroy evil.) Vishnu is depicted riding a (a holy bird, national emblem of ) which is one of the fastest flying birds. He uses this as his vehicle because when a devotee prays and asks for help, he quickly gets to their aid using the Garuda.

8 The shrine of LAKSHMI can be seen to the right of Vishnu, facing the center of the Temple. She is the wife and (energy) of Vishnu, and is the Hindu goddess of wealth, fortune, and prosperity. The marriage and relationship between Lakshmi and Vishnu as wife and husband is the archetype for ceremonies and rituals in Hindu weddings. You will notice that she is shown with four hands, which represent the four goals of human life that are considered important to the Hindu way of life: dharma, , , and . Her vehicle is an owl, which represents the significance of economic activity in the maintenance of life and also her ability to prevail in confusing darkness. 9 Shrines of NANDI (inside left) and GARUDA (inside right, pictured) are also present in the main temple, on either side of the entrance. Nandi is the sacred bull calf, gatekeeper and vehicle of Shiva. Garuda, the mount/vehicle of Vishnu, is a large mythical bird with eagle-like features.

10 Right outside the main entrance to the Temple, there is a STATUE OF NANDI AND A GOLDEN FLAGPOLE. Nandi faces the entrance to the temple and the shrine of Shiva inside. The golden flagpole flies the Temple Flag during the ten day cultural festival in April each year, Mahotsavam. The flag only flies during the festival to commemorate the observance of the event.

The large teak doors to the Main Temple Complex are generally opened on the weekends and during major events, when many devotees come to visit the Temple.

11 CHALK ART is visible throughout the courtyard of the Meenakshi Temple, called Kolam. This is a South Indian style of painting using rice flour or chalk. A Kolam is a geometrical line drawing composed of curved loops, drawn around a grid pattern of dots. During holidays and events, more complex and colorful patterns are drawn.

12 The TEMPLE COMPLEX includes four smaller temples in the four corners of the walled enclosure devoted to other deities. They are dedicated to , Ayappan, , , , , , Murugan, and .

13 The deity DURGA is found in the southeast corner of the temple. Also known as or Shakthi, she is a main Hindu goddess. She is known as the warrior goddess, who is known for combating evil and demonic forces that threaten peace, prosperity, and the dharma of the good. Durga’s mount, or vehicle, is a .

14 AYYAPPA’S shrine is located in the southwest corner of the Temple. Inside this temple, there are what is known as The Holy 18 Steps. The Sri Meenakshi Temple has the oldest Ayyappa Sanctum in the United States. Every Ayyappa devotee, seeking the Darshan at the Sanctum Sanctorum of the Lord Ayyappa, aspires to walk up these sacred 18 steps. Traditionally, only those whose who have taken the 41 days of penance and carrying the Irumudi (a bag with rice, ghee coconut, an offering for the deity) on their head can climb the Holy 18 Steps. The 18 steps symbolize five senses, eight emotions, three natures, knowledge and ignorance of humans and overcoming those are required to attain the sacred sanctum (salvation). RAMA is in the northwest corner of the Temple. He is the seventh avatar, or descent, of the god Vishnu, and is considered the Supreme Being in Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism.

16 The 9 planets, known as NAVAGRAHA (meaning “nine houses” in ) or Graha (“seiazing, laying hold of, holding” in Sanskrit) are deities in Hinduism and . They are represented in the Northeast corner of the temple and include the Sun, the Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn along with the ascending and descending lunar nodes, respectively known as Rahu and . These nine planets cast an effect on people, depending on their location at the time of a person’s birth. In the Hindu religion and Vedic astrology, it is believed that the possibilities and potentials of a person’s life and energies are determined by these planets.

17 If you go out the way you came into the Main Temple Complex, you’ll see another temple towards the back of the property. This is the GANESH TEMPLE.

The Ganesh Temple was the original temple constructed on the property and underwent a renovation in 2013. It is the first traditional Hindu religious landmark in the Southwest United States. What started in 1977 as a humble dream for a small group of supporters has gradually blossomed into a magnificent complex meeting the religious needs of the vast, growing community. This temple is dedicated to the god Ganesha (or Ganesh) who is depicted with an head on a human’s body. In Hindu tradition, he is the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Meenakshi. He is known as the remover of obstacles, the patron of arts and sciences and the god of intellect and wisdom. Ganesh is also known as the god of new beginnings. 18 The PEACOCK SANCTUARY behind the Ganesh Temple is quite a sight! The national bird of India is the Indian commonly known as the Peacock. Vividly colorful and graceful, the Peacock commands a lot of attention. This beautiful bird and its colors are synonymous with Indian identity.

19 TEMPLE PRIESTS live on-site with their families at the Sri Meenakshi Temple. Each temple priest is educated and trained in India and has an affiliation with a certain deity, reflected through the different markings displayed on their foreheads. There are approximately 9 practicing priests currently at the Temple. Priests are the only ones allowed to enter into the sacred area of deity’s shrine, taking offerings to the God or Goddess made by devotees.

20 THE VISITORS CENTER AND RATHAM HOUSE are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends. Inside, there is a room, academic library, gift shop, and children’s area. Also located in this building is the Carriage House, which holds the chariot for the parade of gods during different celebrations throughout the year. Each time, a different deity is presented on the float. During the celebration, the chariot is beautifully decorated with traditional jasmine flowers, roses, and carnations in white, yellow and red. • There is a cafeteria onsite that’s open to the public on weekends, serving authentic vegetarian fare. Simply purchase tokens and then use those to pay for your meal. • There are a few halls here that host the large events at the Temple and are usually rented out for weddings. It can hold about 500 people. • On alternate Sundays, religious classes (Vedic Heritage School) are held by volunteer teachers in the classrooms upstairs and about 300 youth attend regularly. Major annual events include: Chithirai Mahotsavam is a ten day festival that happens each year during the month of April and is a celebrates the Goddess Meenakshi. , held in October each year, is a five day festival. Goddess Lakshmi and several other Gods and Goddesses are worshipped during the event. Artisan vendors, cultural events, food stalls, fun rides for children, fireworks, and ‘Garba dance’, the stick-dance with many hundreds of ladies participating, make Diwali a very popular and fun event beyond the praying.

Chariot decorated for major events SRI MEENAKSHI TEMPLE MAP Back Entrance

Visitor Center & Start Ganesh Temple & Ratham House 14 15 Priest Quarters

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Parking lot & McLean Road Main Entrance

281.997.5970 • VisitPearland.com