Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, Bangkok
Sri Maha Mariamman Temple (Tamil: அருள்மிகு ஶ்ரீ மஹாமாரி அம்மன் கோவில்), also known as Maha Uma Devi Temple
(Thai: วัดพระศรีมหาอุมาเทวี; RTGS: Wat Phra Si Maha Umathewi and Wat Khaek (วัดแขก) in Thai, is a South Indian architecture style Hindu temple on Si Lom Road in Bangkok, Thailand. It was built in 1879 by Vaithi Padayatchi, a Tamil Hindu immigrant.
Location
Sri Mariamman Temple is the main Tamil Hindu temple in Thailand and is located in the Bang Rak District of Bangkok at the corner of Silom Road (ถนนสีลม) and Pan Road, a narrower road where a number of kiosks sell saffron-coloured marigold flower garlands for worshippers.
History
Following India becoming a colony of the British Empire in 1858 many from the southern state of Tamil Nadu preferred to leave their country than live under colonial rule. One such group of Indians came to Bangkok, many as traders of gemstones or cattle ranchers. A leader of this group of Indians was Vaithi Padayatchi who built this temple about a decade after they arrived; [1][3] and a street in Silom is named after him – Soi Vaiti – shown on many English street maps as Vithy or Waiti Lane.
Sri Mariamman is the oldest and most important such temple in Thailand.
Features[edit]
The temple’s facade is in strikingly florid style of a riot of different colours with carved images of various gods and goddesses in different shapes and sizes.[5] At the entrance to the temple there is a gopura or tower 6 metres in height and covered with many carved images of deities. The main shrine of the temple complex is a dome with covering of a gilded copper plate. Within the premises of the temple complex there are three shrines dedicated to Ganesh, Kartik and the main shrine of Sri Maha Mariamman. The practice of worship followed by the devotees is sequentially Ganesh, Kartik and then the main deity. The main hall of the shrine is also decorated with statue deity in Hinduism Bronze Material ( From left to right ) of Ganesh , Shiva , Krishna , Vishnu , Lakshmi , Kartik , Mariamman , Kali , Saraswati, and Nataraja with Shivakami , Hanuman. In addition there are also shrines dedicated to the worship of gods Shiva Lingam , Brahma , Navagraha , Aiyanar , Saptha Kanni , Periyachi , Madurai Veeran and Kathavarayan .