Religious places are considered to be areas filled with devotion as well as positive energy. A temple is considered to represent the human body. Similar to God’s presence in human body, divinity exists in temples too.
Man can lead his mind, intellect and action to goodness only if he can gain mastery over the five senses. Temple visits is said to help a person retract his five senses from evil and direct it towards good.
Various organs of the human body are stimulated by different items in a temple. For instance, the radiance of the idol and the light of the lamps have an impact on the eyes; the fragrance of the incense sticks and the camphor on the nose; the ‘theertham’, ‘prasadam’ and the chanting of the God’s name on the tongue; the sound of the temple bells, conch and chanting on the ears; and the sandalwood paste, sacred ash and other items applied on the body on the skin.
In other words, offering prayers at a temple stimulates the five senses, removes impure thoughts and fills the mind with positive energy.
Many people wonder whether there is a specific day to visit a temple. In fact, prayers can be offered any day at a religious place. However, each deity would have a special day and praying there on that particular day is believed to be very auspicious.
Ganapathy
The Vinayaka Chaturthy in the month of Chingam and the first Friday of each Malayalam month are considered auspicious for the elephant god.
Saraswathy
The navarathri season, especially Vijayadasami, is ideal for the Goddess of Learning.
Soorya
‘Pathamudayam’ and the first Sunday of the Malayalam months are best to propitiate the Sun God.
Shiva
It is believed that Lord Shiva will be pleased if prayers are offered at shrines dedicated to the God on the Sivarathri day in Kumbham, Thiruvathira in Dhanu, the ‘pradosha’ day and the first Sundays of the Malayalam months.
Devi
Special days at Devi temples are the Karthika star in Vrischikam month, Tuesdays and Fridays, ‘Bharani’ in Kumbham month, ‘Pooram’ in Meenam and ‘Bharani’ in Meenam.
Subrahmanya
The ‘thaipooyam’ day in the Malayalam month of Makaram, ‘shashti’ day of all Malayalam months, ‘skanda shashti’ in the month of Thulam, ‘kapila shashti’ in Kanni and the first Sunday of all Malayalam months are ideal for offering prayers at Subrahmanya temples.
Nagaraja
The most auspicious days for visiting the shrines of the serpent god are the ‘ayilyam’ day of all Malayalam months, especially the ‘ayilyam’ in Kanni and Thulam.
Vishnu
It is believed that Lord Vishnu would be pleased if devotees visit the God’s temples on the ‘Ashtami Rohini’ of Chingam month, the first Thursday according to the Malayalam month, on ‘ekadasi’ day, on ‘Thiruvonam’ day, the Kuchela day – the first Wednesday in Dhanu and on Vishu.
Sastha
Lord Sastha can be propitiated by offering prayers to the god during the ‘mandalam’ season and on Saturdays.
