Our temples

e have three temples at Skanda Vale – the Murugan Temple, the Maha Shakti Temple and the Sri Ranganatha Temple. We hold six pujas every single day of the year, to which all are welcome. Everyone has the opportunity to join in the worship, and take aarthi and prasadam completely free of charge. We never ask anything from our pilgrims, only that they abide by our simple temple rules.

Although our mode of worship follows a predominantly Hindu tradition, we recognise all faiths as equal, and celebrate the major Buddhist and Christian festivals throughout the year. Every Sunday evening at 9pm we hold a Christian Service in the Murugan Temple.

If you would like to come to visit the Temples, please plan your pilgrimage around our temple opening times, as the Maha Shakti and Murugan Temples are locked outside puja times.

THE MAHA SHAKTI TEMPLE
The Maha Shakti (or Kali) Temple is open for pujas every day at 6:30am and 6pm, and on Saturdays we perform a mahabishekam at 6pm. The Temple is closed at all other times. The highlight of the month is our full moon Kali Mahabishekam – please check our puja calendar to find out when these take place.

The Maha Shakti temple is small, and can seat only 50 people. On Saturdays during the busy summer season, (from May to September) we have to issue free passes on a random basis to give every pilgrim an equal opportunity to be inside the Temple for the puja. These passes are distributed at 3pm, outside the Yaga Sala in the main field of the ashram. If you do not get a pass, don’t worry – we have plenty of seating, with loudspeakers and video screens, and we never close the Temple until every single pilgrim has had Mother’s Darshan and Aarthi, however long this may take.

The Maha Shakti Temple is situated at the top of the ashram, a 15 minute walk (up a steep hill) from the main car park. We have a minibus available to drive elderly and disabled pilgrims from the car park to the Temple. This leaves approximately 20 minutes before the start of the puja, every day. The minibus is not available to families with young children or any able bodied devotees – you must walk to the Temple as part of your pilgrimage.

If you have eaten meat, poultry or fish three days before coming to Skanda Vale, we ask that you remain outside the Temple on the terrace – we will bring aarthi and prasadam out to you. Children under the age of 7 years old are not allowed inside the Temple until the final aarthi, so as not to disturb the devotions.

THE MURUGAN TEMPLE
The Murugan (or Subramanium) Temple is open for pujas every day at 5am, 1:30pm and 9pm. It is closed to the public at all other times. Every Sunday at 1:30pm we perform a mahabishekam to Lord Murugan, and the highlight of the month is a full moon mahabishekam to Lord Shanmukha – please check our puja calendar to find out when these occur.

You’ll find the Murugan Temple near the entrance, by the main car park and reception. The gopurum curtain is usually closed during pujas. The curtain will be opened on Tuesdays and Fridays during the 5am and 9pm pujas, and Saturdays and Sundays during the 1:30 pm puja. In addition, it will also be open for mahabishekams during festivals held in the Murugan Temple.

If you have eaten meat, poultry or fish three days before coming to Skanda Vale, we ask that you remain at the back of the Murugan Temple – the monks will bring aarthi, vibhuti and prasadam to you. If you have young children who are noisy or restless, please also remain at the back of the Temple, so as not to disturb the devotions.

THE SRI RANGANATHA TEMPLE
The Sri Ranganatha (or Vishnu) Temple is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. We hold a puja at 9:30am every morning, and perform a mahabishekam every Tuesday and Friday morning at 9:30am. It is located near the Murugan Temple, close to the main car park and reception.

The main murthi of Sri Ranganatha is enshrined in the centre of a purpose built lake, surrounded by murthis of Lord Hanuman, Lord Brahma and Maha Lakshmi, amongst others. There is also a beautiful murthi of Lord Shiva, sitting beneath a waterfall. Just below the Temple is a second Temple lake, dedicated to Mahishasura Mardini. The Sri Ranganatha Temple is open to the elements so that the manifestation of God in the sun, rain, wind and wildlife can form an intrinsic, worshipful part of the overall experience.

• The Sri Ranganatha Temple is outdoors, so please bring warm clothing as it can get very cold during pujas.
• Photography is not permitted during or after pujas (cameras are now completely banned in Skanda Vale).
• Silence must be observed in the Temple at all times.
• Please do not throw coins into the lake.