Dallas Murugan Temple & Ayyappa Mandala Mahotsavam

The vision of the Dallas Murugan Temple in Frisco, Texas, is to uphold the glory of Lord Murugan while preserving Tamil tradition, culture, language, literature, and arts, and to establish a temple that celebrates Lord Murugan's spirituality and worship. The auspicious Prathistam (consecration) of Lord Ayyappan and Lord Natarajar idols in November 2025 infused renewed spiritual energy into the temple.Recently, the Dallas Tatvamasi's Sangam (DTS) hosted the first-ever Irumudi & Ayyappa Mandala Mahotsavam on December 14, 2025, at this sacred temple.Dallas Tatvamasi's Sangam was founded in 2021 by six devoted Ayyappa Swamies and has since grown into a vibrant group of 61 Ayyappa Swamies. Along with their Maaligaipurams (spouses) and Manikandas (children), they faithfully follow the rituals and traditions of Ayyappan worship, sustaining centuries-old beliefs thousands of miles away from the holy Sabarimalai.The primary objective of DTS is to worship Lord Ayyappan and to safely pass these sacred traditions on to future generations. Today, including family members, the group has grown to nearly 200 participants.The Maaligaipurams play a vital role by performing the sacred duty of Annadhanam, offering prasadam to Swamies and devotees with the noble intention that no one should go hungry. Beyond the 41-day spiritual fasting period (Mandala Viratham), the DTS group remains united through various charitable initiatives, including volunteering at food banks, conducting free online yoga classes, and offering complimentary AI learning sessions.Throughout the Mandalam, the group performs Padi Poojai, Kanniswamy Poojai, and Mandala Poojai to worship Lord Ayyappa. Parents of Swamies who traveled from India and attended these Padi Poojais were deeply moved by the intense devotion and spiritually vibrant atmosphere.The unique strength of DTS lies in the active involvement of the Maaligaipurams, who serve as the backbone of the Sangam by coordinating key Mandala rituals alongside the Ayyappa Swamies.Mandala Poojai, the flagship ritual performed toward the conclusion of the Mandalam, includes offerings such as Aabarana Petti (treasure chests), Pallakku (chariot procession), Abhishegam, Annadhanam, and a grand celebration to offer prayers and worship to Lord Ayyappan.As it is not possible for Ayyappa Swamies and Manikandas to visit Sabarimalai every year due to extreme weather conditions and limited resources in the USA, devotees strictly observe all the rules of the 41-day Viratham. They complete the Viratham by carrying the Irumudi, climbing the holy 18 steps, and performing Ghee Abhishegam for Lord Ayyappan at the Meenakshi Amman Temple in Houston, Texas.The sanctified ghee from the Abhishegam is later distributed to friends and families upon completion of the Maha Viratham.- Our Overseas Correspondent Sheela Ramanan fro San Antonio