Our mission
Operate a Cultural & Spiritual Center to propagate and perpetuate the religious and cultural aspects of the worship of Lord Ayyappa.
Publish electronic and print publications to promote the awareness of Lord Ayyappa and associated deities to the community.
Organize spiritual events and religious events associated with the worship of Lord Ayyappa and associated deities.
Promote the construction of a permanent shrine for Lord Ayyappa and deities associated with Lord Ayyappa in one of the temples in the San Francisco Bay Area or adjoining locations.
Provide assistance to other communities (local and worldwide) in the area of human, religious and community assistance services.
Our history
The Ayyappa shrine at Sabarimala is one of India's most revered Hindu shrines. Devotees of Swami Ayyappan embody universal brotherhood: they come from different regions, religions, and economic and social backgrounds, yet form a close-knit community devoted to serving Swami Ayyappan. Many thousands of His devotees live in the United States. The San Francisco Bay Area has many temples, but until recently it had no permanent shrine for Swami Ayyappan.
Local devotees long wished for an organization that could bring the Bay Area's many Ayyappa devotees together to serve Lord Ayyappa and build His permanent shrine.
Ayyappa Samaaj was formed by a group of active devotees in the San Francisco Bay Area to meet that need. We began with an online mailing group that grew to hundreds of active members, along with a separate volunteer group. From the start, our goal has been a nimble, fast-moving organization that serves Ayyappa devotees worldwide. Looking back on all that Ayyappa Samaaj has done over the years, Swami Ayyappan's grace is evident at every step.
Today, Ayyappa Samaaj is an IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and a gathering point for Ayyappa devotees. While our focus remains service and devotion to Lord Ayyappa, we have broadened our mission to serve the wider spiritual and cultural needs of the Bay Area community.
Our typical calendar year
Ayyappa Samaaj holds events and activities for the community throughout the year. Here are our major events.
Makara Jyothi Celebrations
January
A grand abhishekam and puja, held in January to coincide with the Makara Jyothi celebrations at Sabarimala.
Shastha Thirukalyanam
March/April – Panguni Uthiram
Shastha Thirukalyanam celebrates the divine wedding of Lord Dharma Shastha with His consorts, Poorna and Pushkala. It is held on Panguni Uthiram, the auspicious day in the Tamil month of Panguni that is also celebrated as the birthday of Lord Ayyappa. The ceremony follows the rituals of a traditional South Indian wedding, including the welcome of the deities, the exchange of garlands, the kanyadanam and the tying of the mangalyam, all to the sound of nadaswaram, Vedic chanting and devotional songs. Devotees attend as the wedding guests, offering blessings and sharing in the grand wedding feast. Witnessing the Thirukalyanam is believed to bring harmony, prosperity and blessings to families, especially to those praying for a happy marriage.
South Indian New Year: Ugadi, Vishu and Varsha Pirappu
April
We celebrate the South Indian New Year festivals each April with a grand feast and a program of cultural performances, with children and adults taking part in music and dance. Recent celebrations have drawn more than 300 guests.
Kids' Ganesha Puja
September
Held around Ganesh Chaturthi, this free event introduces children to the stories of Lord Vinayaka and our spiritual heritage. A local artist guides each child in shaping a clay Ganesha to take home for puja on Ganesh Chaturthi and the immersion that follows. With help from temple priests, the children also perform puja to a colorful idol while reciting the Ashtottaram. The Ayyappa Samaaj Madapalli team serves a special kid-friendly prasadam lunch.
Mandalam Season
Mid-November through December
The busiest time of year for Ayyappa devotees is the six-week Mandalam season, which coincides with the pilgrimage season at Sabarimala, when devotees wear the mala and observe the vratam. Each week we gather at the temple or in devotees' homes for an evening of spirited bhajans followed by a grand maha prasadam. For the many devotees who cannot travel to Sabarimala, these gatherings offer a share in the tradition and the pilgrimage, and hundreds find strength in each other's company to keep the strict Mandalam vratam.
Shankabhishekam
Mandalam season
Shankabhishekam is a sacred abhishekam in which Lord Ayyappa is bathed with holy water poured from consecrated conch shells (shankhas). The conches, often 108 of them, are arranged in an auspicious pattern, filled with water and other sacred offerings, and sanctified through Vedic chanting and puja before the priests offer them to the Lord one by one. The conch is a symbol of purity and divine sound, and taking part in or witnessing Shankabhishekam is believed to cleanse the mind and bring peace and prosperity to devotees and their families.
Ayyappa Laksharchana
Mandalam season
Ayyappa Laksharchana is one of the most powerful offerings of the Mandalam season. More than a hundred devotees come together to chant the Sahasranamam, the thousand names of Lord Ayyappa, offering flowers or kumkum with each name. Together, their voices complete a lakh (100,000) of archanas to the Lord in a single sitting. The collective chanting fills the hall with devotion, and every participant shares in the blessings of this grand offering.
Shastha Preethi and Grand Feast
Mandalam season
Shastha Preethi is a traditional celebration honoring Lord Shastha with Vedic chanting, puja, bhajans and a grand annadanam (community feast). A highlight of the day is the Varavu Paatu, the "song of arrival," which welcomes Lord Ayyappa through traditional devotional songs telling the story of His life and His journey to Sabarimala. Sung in the old folk style, it is a tradition rarely heard outside Keralam. Devotees gather to seek the Lord's blessings and share in the prasadam, continuing a cherished tradition from Keralam and Tamil Nadu.
Pushpabhishekam
Mandalam season
Pushpabhishekam is one of our most beautiful offerings. Following the tradition at Sabarimala, devotees shower Lord Ayyappa with flowers until the idol rests beneath a mountain of fragrant blossoms such as jasmine, marigold, rose, lotus and tulasi. The flowers are offered with chanting of the Lord's names, and the sight of Swami Ayyappan adorned in this cascade of flowers is a moving experience for every devotee. Devotees may sponsor or bring flowers to take part in the offering.
Divine Bhajans
Throughout the year
Throughout the year, Ayyappa Samaaj holds Divine Bhajan evenings that bring devotees together in song and prayer. Led by local bhajan groups and visiting artists, these gatherings are open to everyone, and families and children are always welcome.
Grand Irumudi Puja
End of Mandalam season
The Grand Irumudi Puja is held at the close of the Mandalam season to mark the end of the vratam. Devotees fill a coconut with ghee, carry the irumudi around the temple in a symbolic journey to Sabarimala, and then perform abhishekam to Lord Ayyappa.
Special Events
Beyond our annual calendar, Ayyappa Samaaj has presented special events for the community, including Chocolate Krishna by Crazy Mohan (2010), a concert by Ajith Namboothiri (2012), Tattvamasi – The Story of Swami Ayyappan (2015), and an evening of bhajans by T. S. Radhakrishnaji (2016).
We look forward to seeing you at our events!