Uttara Swami Malai Temple, popularly known as Malai Mandir (literally, Hill Temple in Tamil), is a

Hindu temple A Hindu temple, or ''mandir'' or ''koil'' in Indian languages, is a house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together through worship, sacrifice, and devotion.; Quote: "The Hin ...

complex in

New Delhi, India New Delhi (, , ''Naī Dillī'') is the capital of India and a part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House, ...

located on the affluent

Palam Marg Palam Marg is essentially a stretch of the Outer Ring Road of New Delhi which serves as the access point to the affluent neighbourhood of Vasant Vihar in South West Delhi. On one side of the road, there are twenty five houses which are a mixture ...

primarily dedicated to Lord Swaminatha (more commonly known as Lord Murugan), most revered by the religious Hindus of

Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, nativ ...

and other South Indian community in the city. One can easily reach this temple by metro, nearest metro station is Vasant Vihar which is around 2 km away from there.

Architecture

The main temple within the complex, formally called Sree Swaminatha Swami Temple, houses the

sanctum sanctorum The Latin phrase ''sanctum sanctorum'' is a translation of the Hebrew term ''קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים'' (Qṓḏeš HaQŏḏāšîm), literally meaning Holy of Holies, which generally refers in Latin texts to the holiest place of th ...

of Lord Swaminatha. It is situated atop a small hillock in Sector-7 R.K. Puram and overlooking

Vasant Vihar Vasant Vihar is a diplomatic and residential sub-division of the South West Delhi in National Capital Territory of Delhi, India. It is located near the diplomatic area of Chanakyapuri, and houses over 50 diplomatic missions of foreign countries, ...

South West Delhi South West Delhi is one of the eleven administrative districts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi in India. Kapashera serves as the administrative headquarters of South West Delhi. South West Delhi is bounded by the districts of West D ...

. This is in keeping with the tradition of locating Murugan temples on hills. The sign outside the main temple is written in Tamil, proclaiming Lord Swaminatha's motto, "''Yaamirukka Bayamain''" (யாமிருக்க பயமேன்) meaning "Why fear when I am there?". The temple is built entirely of granite, and is reminiscent of the Chola style Tamil

Architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing building ...

. Besides the main Swaminatha Swami Temple, the complex contains temples dedicated to Sree Karpaga Vinayagar (elder brother of Lord Swaminatha), Sree Sundareswarar (father of Lord Swaminatha) and Devi Meenakshi (mother of Lord Swaminatha). These subsidiary temples draw inspiration from the Pandya style of Tamil Architecture, as can be seen at the historic

Meenakshi Amman Temple Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundaraswarar Temple is a historic Hindu temple located on the southern bank of the Vaigai River in the temple city of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is dedicated to the goddess Meenakshi, a form of Parvati, and her consort, ...

Madurai Madurai ( , also , ) is a major city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Madurai District. As of the 2011 census, it was the third largest Urban agglomeration in ...

, Tamil Nadu. In the Hindu religion, the peacock is considered Lord Swaminatha's mount or

vahana ''Vahana'' ( sa, वाहन, or animal vehicle, literally "that which carries, that which pulls") denotes the being, typically an animal or mythical, a particular Hindu God is said to use as a vehicle. In this capacity, the vahana is often ...

. Accordingly, the temple has adopted a peacock as its pet. This peacock can be seen and heard among the trees and foliage within the temple compound. People from various backgrounds visit the temple.

History

*8 September 1965 The foundation stone for the temple is laid by M. Bhakthavatsalam, Chief Minister of

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...

, at a function held under the presidency of Sri Lal Bahadur Shastri, then Prime Minister of India. *7 June 1973 The main temple for Lord Swaminatha - Sree Swaminatha Swami Temple - is consecrated and a Mahakumbhabhishekham performed. *13 June 1990 The temples for Sree Karpaga Vinayakar, Sree Sundareswarar and Devi Meenakshi are consecrated and Mahakumbhabhishekhams performed. A Jeeranoddharana Kumbhabhishekham for the Lord Swaminatha temple is also performed on the same day. *7 July 1995 The

Navagraha Navagraha are nine heavenly bodies and deities that influence human life on Earth according to Hinduism and Hindu astrology. The term is derived from ''nava'' ( sa, नव "nine") and ''graha'' ( sa, ग्रह "planet, seizing, laying hold of, ...

temple (nine planets), along with a small temple for Idumban Swami, is consecrated and Kumbhabhishekham performed. *9 November 1997 The

Adi Sankara Adi Shankara ("first Shankara," to distinguish him from other Shankaras)(8th cent. CE), also called Adi Shankaracharya ( sa, आदि शङ्कर, आदि शङ्कराचार्य, Ādi Śaṅkarācāryaḥ, lit=First Shank ...

Hall is inaugurated. *27 June 2001 The third Punaruddharana, Ashtabandhana and Swarna-Rajatha Bandhana Mahakumbhabhishekham of the temples are performed by H.H. Kanchi Kamakoti Peethadhipati Sri Jayendra Saraswati Swamigal. H.H. Sri Vijayendra Saraswati Swamigal also participates in the yagna pooja on the night of 25 June 2001.

References

External links

* {{Hindu temples in Delhi Hindu temples in Delhi Murugan temples Religious buildings and structures completed in 1973 South Delhi district 20th-century architecture in India