Conservation Plan for Ayyappa Swami Temple

The temple was constructed in 1955 and is one of the oldest Ayyappa Swami¹ Temples in Northern India. It was constructed by Swami Vimochanandaji (known as Govindan Nair in his Purvasram or pre-monastic life) with an aim of spreading the message of Sabarimalai Sri Ayyappa² and giving his devotees a place of worship outside Kerala. Thus, today, it is visited by many Southern Indians residing in nearby cities such as Delhi, Roorkee, Dehradun and Rishikesh, who find a deep sentimental and cultural connection with the temple.

The architecture of the temple is a unique blend of the north and south. Taking key elements of a typical Kerala-styled temple, the structure is designed in response to the Haridwar climate and streetscape.

Several additions were made to the temple complex over time—it is evident that the kitchen and the eating area were added later and so was the residential block. The two blocks are separated by a central courtyard. The precinct can be described as comprising two parts: the temple with the eating area on its edge as part one and the accommodation block as part two. Both the buildings are built along the edge of the street and are entered through two gateways, the main gateway leads into the temple mandap (altar) while the secondary gateway leads into the courtyard.

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¹ Ayyappa Swami, or Lord Ayyappa, is a Hindu deity that is mainly popular in South India.
² Sabarimalai is a hill where the most significant Ayyappan temple is located in the Western Ghat mountain ranges of the Pathanamthitta District of Kerala, India. The Sabarimala Sri Ayyappan Temple is a major pilgrimage centre that attracts 10–15 millions of devotees every year.