28/10/2025
Visit to Sthanu Malaya Temple
As part of our Ayurveda, Manas and Spirituality program, we visited the Sthanu Malaya Temple at the southern tip of India with our Brazilian students. The temple is an architectural marvel — with musical pillars, intricate carvings, and an atmosphere filled with divine resonance.
We had the privilege of meeting Dr. Shiva Prasad, the temple’s sthapathi (chief priest) and an Ayurvedic physician. He shared deep insights about the temple’s rituals, the intention behind its festivals, and how the daily and seasonal regimens (dinacharya and ritucharya) are integrated into temple life. His words reflected a harmony between Ayurveda, spirituality, and sacred architecture.
Inside the complex, the Shiva sub-temple offered a serene space for meditation. As we chanted Om there, the vibration enveloped us like an aquatic chamber — tranquil, rhythmic, and profoundly meditative.
Just as Ayurveda continues to reveal the wisdom of balance and rhythm, Indian temple architecture too evokes awe — not merely through stone and structure, but through living tradition. Despite centuries of invasions and trials, these heritages live on through devoted souls like Dr. Shiva Prasad and many humble guardians of the sacred.
At Neelakanta Vinayagar Kovil, we encountered another inspiring story — a young priest who courageously left his central government job to embrace the traditional path of service and worship. In this modern age, choosing such a path requires strength to transcend social pressures and faith to follow one’s inner voice. His decision reminded us that tradition is not a relic of the past, but a conscious way of living in truth and devotion.
Each encounter on this journey reaffirmed that spirituality in India is not confined to rituals — it breathes through people, places, and timeless values that continue to nurture both the body and the soul.
