Shri Ram Mandir श्री राम मंदिर

• Ram Lalla

  Here Rama is worshipped as Ram Lalla, a child of five, as in the Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir in Ayodhya: standing on a lotus, carved in dark stone (shyam varna), with a golden bow in his left hand and an arrow in his right, a tall jewelled crown, the Vaishnava namam on his brow and a yellow pitambara.

• The prabhavali

  The golden arch framing the Lord carries the ten avatars of Vishnu, from Matsya to Kalki, with the sun of Rama’s Suryavamsha at its crown. At his feet kneel Hanuman, his devoted servant, and Garuda, Vishnu’s eagle.

• Jaya and Vijaya

  The four armed doorkeepers of Vaikuntha stand either side of the sanctum door with shankha, chakra and gada. One raises a warning finger (tarjani), the other a hand in wonder (vismaya): enter with humility.

• Hanuman faces the sanctum

  On the axis between the flagstaff and the sanctum, Hanuman stands with joined palms, forever looking toward Rama. Devotees take care not to stand in his line of sight to the Lord.

• Gopuram and vimana

  In a Tamil temple the towering gateways (gopurams) are seen from far away, while the vimana over the sanctum is lower and covered in gold: the closer you come to the Lord, the more inward the architecture becomes.

• Tulsi

  Tulsi is offered to Vishnu in all his forms. A tulsi brindavan, a square pedestal planted with tulsi, stands in the courts of the temple.

• Tirtham and shatari

  After darshan the priest gives tirtham, sacred water, in the palm, and touches the shatari, a crown bearing the Lord’s feet, to each devotee’s head.

• Pradakshina

  Walk clockwise round the prakaras, keeping the sanctum on your right. Do not pass between the balipitha and the sanctum.

• Shri Rama Jayam

  Japa of the thirteen syllable mantra “Shri Rama Jaya Rama Jaya Jaya Rama” (श्री राम जय राम जय जय राम) or writing “Shri Rama Jayam” in a notebook (likhita japa) is a beloved practice of Rama bhakti.

• Tulsi leaves துளசி · तुलसी

  Tulsi is offered to every form of Vishnu; a single leaf given with love is enough.

• Lotus தாமரை · कमल

  Rama is called Rajiva lochana, the lotus eyed.

• Jasmine மல்லிகை · मोगरा

  Strings of jasmine (malligai) are the flower of every Tamil temple.

• Marigold செண்டுமல்லி · गेंदा

• Laddoo லட்டு · लड्डू

  A sweet naivedya, shared afterwards as prasadam.

• Coconut தேங்காய் · नारियल

  A whole coconut is broken before the Lord, the hard shell of ego opened.

Walk the compound and the halls, leave your footwear at the steps, ring the bell, light incense and a diya, offer tulsi leaves at the deity’s feet, receive prasad, sit in the meditation garden and join the aarti with devotees from around the world, five times a day. The grounds also keep 3 small secrets, each with a story of Lord Ram, for those who explore.

• Shri Siddhivinayak Mandir Lord Ganesha
• Himalayan Shiva Mandir Lord Shiva
• Shri Krishna Mandir Lord Krishna
• Maa Durga Mandir Maa Durga
• Shri Hanuman Mandir Lord Hanuman
• Maa Lakshmi Mandir Maa Lakshmi