About the Temple
A Dream Comes True ... ... ...
IT WAS A DREAM, a dream of a devotee in the BHEL Township Bhopal, way back in 1966, which was realised twelve years later, in April, 1978 when Brahmashri K. Neelakantaru Thantry, the Traditional Chief Priest of Sabarimala (Kerala) installed the 'Panchloha Vigraha', an exact replica of Lord Ayyappa Swami reigning supreme over the Sabari Hills in the Western Ghats of Kerala, in the newly built Temple Complex, at Bhopal.
The dream lit a little lamp in the house of a devotee to pronounce the birth of "Ayyappa Sewa Sangham" in Bhopal with a handful of the "dreamers" who took up the cause of Ayyappa Cult in Bhopal and started "Bhajans", singing His glory and invoking His Merciful Blessings, particularly during the period of Mandalam (November 16 to January 14) the most auspicious time to invoke him..
The Sangham was registered in 1972 under the Madhya Pradesh Non-Trading Corporation Act of 1962 and it was decided to construct a small temple for Swamy Ayyappa in the BHEL Township. The BHEL management and the State Government authorities were approached for the allotment of a suitable plot of land.
The Year 1973 saw a new wave of renaissance, an upsurge in Bhopal. Those who shield away in the past from the activities of the Sangham, found themselves dragged by an invincible but powerful force and they were all forced to take refuge in Him, seeking His bountiful Mercy and join His band of devotees to make the dream that was in 1966 a reality too soon.
BHEL management decided to allot the plot of land with the permission of MP State Government in 1973 and possession of the land was taken in 1974. Plans were made and discussed how to go about the construction of the temple and a decision was taken in November 1974 to setup a Temple Construction Committee, which was formed in December 1974 with 22 members and Shri M.G.K Menon as the Convener.
On February 1, 1975, His Holiness Swami Chinmayananda, the apostle of Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads came to Bhopal at the invitation of the Shangham to perform the Bhoomi Puja of the temple premises. The Sudharshan Homam and other religious rights connected with the preliminaries of construction were performed by Brahmashri K. Neelakantaru Thantri, the Chief traditional Priest of Sabarimala (Kerala) in the first week of February, 1975.
In the first week of May, 1975, the then Union Communications Minister, Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma laid the foundation stone for the "Bhajan Hall", the actual construction of which could however be taken up only in the last week of June 1975. Thanks to the untiring efforts of Shri M.N. Natarajan, a devotee Engineer and of course, His merciful blessings too, with the help and co-operation of the active members of the Sangham, the construction of the Hall was completed in record time of less than forty one days and inaugurated by the then Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Prakash Chandra Sethi in the presence of the then "Melsanthi" of Sabarimala, Brahmashri Kesawan Bhattathiri on 29th July 1975 the auspicious Janmashtami night.
With the construction of the Bhajan Hall, the enthusiasm of the members of the Sangham found no bounds and it was decided to construct a temple complex for Swami Ayyappa, Ganapati, Subramania, Goddess Durga and Nagaraja. It was also decided that the temples should be built in stone and mortar and follow the Kerala tradition, with Shadadhara for the main temple. A search was made to locate a proper temple construction contractor and He led the Construction Committee Convener to Shri P.S. Balaiha who had sculptured and rebuilt Lord Krishna Temple in Guruvayur (Kerala), after the fire outbreak in 1970. Shri Balaiha took up the construction work in January 1976 but due to financial constraints and other compulsions, the Temple Complex could be completed only in April 1978 for the installation of the idols of Swami Ayyappa, Ganapati, Subramania, Goddess Durga and Nagaraja. The installations (Prana Prathishta) were performed on Tenth Medom (April 24, 1978) as ordained by HIM.
There was a set up immediately after the installation on account of the financial restraints and other reasons. The Mandlam long Laksharchana was performed in 1978-79 by Brahmashri Kesavan Bhattathiri and his assistants, to invoke their blessings and to raise enough resources but nothing tangible came out of the exercise.. The Sangham organised three Ayyappa Lotteries with the permission and help of the Madhya Pradesh Government and made some money for the construction work. The total cost, including the construction of the Bhajan Hall and the temple complex exceeded three lakhs of rupees and the latest addition of the Sabha Mandapam in November 1983 at a cost of Rs. 2 lakhs to accommodate about thousand devotees has made the financial situation very tight. Efforts are there to find all sources and avenues to raise funds in His name for His cause and the Sangham is quite confident that He shall not fail to shower His blessings.
This is the story of a dream realising the cherished desire. And before conclusion, it must be put on record the services of those who selflessly rendered with devotion and determination to accomplish the great and noble task.
First of all the name of late Major-General Dr. K.V. Pillay comes to our mind. As if the was ordained by the Great Lord Himself, it was only after his arrival in Bhopal in July 1973, the construction activities had started and he left Bhopal in May, 1978, immediately after the Prana Prathishta. One may call it a case of coincidence, but to the devoted it was the act of Lord Himself. The elderly advice, the timely help and the un-grudging co-operation he always extended to the Sangham, particularly to the Temple Construction Committee and its convener from time to time made the burden light and bearable. His absence from Bhopal was felt immediately thereafter and his untimely death in March 1979 has been a terrible loss to Bhopal Ayyappa Sewa Sangham.
Shri K.B. Narasimhan of the KBN Builders who undertook the construction of the Sabha Mandapam has done his jobe well to earn the blessings of Swami Ayyappa, and gratitude of the Sangham.
Shri C.P.C. Pillai has been the founder President of the Ayyappa Sewa Sangham and it was during his Second tenure as President in 1977-78, the installations did take place. Virtue has always its reward. To Shri PS Nair who has presided over the destiny of the Sangham during its fright fully problem days, the temple has been a monument of his long felt desire to have a place of worship for the community residing in BHEL Township and the neighbourhood, and he has been blessed thus.
Shri M.K. Pillai , many times the Secretary and the Secretary of the Temple Construction Committee has devoted himself to the task he had undertaken and without his help and labour the construction work could not have been completed as it had been.
The Management of the BHEL, under the successive leadership of Shri Haque, Shri B.S. Samat, Shri S.P. Singh and Shri G.P. Dodeja as the persons at the helm of the affairs of the Bhopal unit, has all along been most considerate and very helpful to the Sangham. The Sangham never received a "No" for a reply to any request that was made. Shri S.P. Singh, former Executive Director and now Director (Personnel) BHEL took a very keen interest in the activities of the Sangham and he has been a valuable devotee.
The Sangham has a team of devoted workers in its executive committee. Shri S.A. Pillai, the energetic Vice-President, Shri K.V.S Iyer the non-controversial General Secretary and the serious but unassuming Shri Madhava Warrier, as Finance Secretary, work and toil day in and day out in the service of the Sangham and the Temple management.
For the management of the temple and its affairs a high-power committee, consisting of the former Presidents - Shri C.P.L. Pillai, Shir P.S. Nair, Shri Murleedharan and Shri M.A.P. PillaI with Shri M.G.K Menon, as chairman and Shri K.V.S Iyer as Secretary has been constituted for a period of three years in 1982 and Shri M.A.P. Pillai has been entrusted with the functions of the management on behalf of this Committee..
And there are many other names to be mentioned but the name of Shri K.M. Vasu Pillai and Shri G.C. Kurup and their Bhajan Associates M.O.K. Pillai, Krishna Pillai, Sreedharan, K.M.J. Nair, to list only a few, have been singing His Glory all these eighteen years. It was their Bhajans, the prayers emanating from their inner souls which made possible the dream to realise, eventually.
Shri Madhavan Pillai, Shri G.P. Pillai (Rajan) and Shri K.P.R. Nair (Mani) who have been the founding members of the Sangham made their life a mission, for the service of Lord Ayyappa. May the self-less service of all, members of the Ayyappa Sewa Sangham and other devotees be worthy of His Blessings.
-Late MGK MENON
Chief Patron & Founding President.