The Kent Ayyappa Temple Trust was established in December 2018 as a non-profit, small charity, and unincorporated voluntary organisation.
Our principal aims are:
- To advance the Hindu religion in accordance with the Sabarimala tradition.
- To organise public worship, monthly poojas, and annual festivals for spiritual observance.
- To provide a welcoming space for prayer, religious education, and intercultural understanding.
- To promote Indian cultural and heritage activities that increase awareness and appreciation of Hindu traditions.
📍 Temple Address:
Kent Ayyappa Temple
1 Northgate, Rochester, Kent, ME1 1LS
(Located inside Friends Meeting House / Quaker Meeting House – first floor, no external signage)
(Previously operated from Medway Hindu Mandir, Gillingham.)
Our priests are volunteers from Kerala, India, and all types of Kerala-style poojas can be performed on request. Temple working hours and pooja timings might occasionally change if the priest is performing poojas outside the temple.
📞 Before Booking a Pooja
Devotees wishing to book any poojas listed on the website must contact the temple in advance to confirm:
- Priest availability
- Venue/hall arrangements (for certain poojas)
📞 Tel: 07838 170203 / 07985 245890
📧 Email: kentayyappatemple@gmail.com
⚠️ Please Note:
- Bookings made without prior confirmation may not be performed.
- Proceed with your booking only after receiving official confirmation from the temple management.
All pooja bookings are treated as donations to support:
- Daily operations of Kent Ayyappa Temple
- Public worship 7 days a week
- Future development of a permanent Kerala-style temple in the UK
Support our goal of purchasing a permanent temple building and constructing a traditional Kerala-style temple in the UK.
🕰️ Temple Opening Hours
| Day | Morning | Evening |
| Monday – Saturday | 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM | 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM |
| Sunday | — | 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM |
📞 Please call 07838 170203 / 07985 245890 before visiting, as priests may occasionally be delayed or away performing external poojas outside the temple.
🗓️ Monthly and special festival poojas are usually held on Saturdays with extended hours.
Check the event posters on our website, Facebook, or Instagram for exact timings and details.
📜 Pooja Booking Guidelines & Devotee Consent
1️⃣ Booking & Confirmation
- Submitting the Pooja Booking / Event Registration Form indicates your agreement to the booking terms.
- Submission does not automatically confirm your booking.
- Your pooja is confirmed only after receiving an official message from the temple confirming acceptance.
2️⃣ Use of Personal Information
By submitting the form, you consent to Kent Ayyappa Temple:
- Collecting and storing your details for pooja booking and record purposes.
- Contacting you regarding your booking, temple events, charity initiatives, or surveys.
3️⃣ Cancellations & Refund Policy
- Once a pooja is booked and payment made, no refund will be issued.
- Devotees may cancel a booking up to 48 hours (two days) before the scheduled pooja.
- No cancellations are accepted within 48 hours of the pooja date (including on the day).
- Cancellations must be emailed to: kentayyappatemple@gmail.com
If the temple must cancel a pooja (e.g. priest unavailability or unavoidable circumstances):
- A full refund will be issued within two working days.
Refunds for booking errors or service issues may be considered upon management approval.
For any disputes or clarifications:
📞 Secretary – Kent Ayyappa Temple: 07838 170203 / 07985 245890
📧 Email: kentayyappatemple@gmail.com
4️⃣ Additional Booking Details
- For special poojas or offerings, please contact the temple directly.
- Provide the following details when booking:
- Devotee’s Full Name
- Birth Star (Nakshatram)
- Contact Number & Email Address
- If the pooja is for someone else, please include the beneficiary’s name and birth star.
- For multiple poojas, submit separate entries for each.
- If the requested date is unavailable, coordinators will offer alternative dates.
5️⃣ Temple Policy & Safety
- Kent Ayyappa Temple Trust reserve the right to postpone, alter, or cancel any programme due to unforeseen circumstances.
- Parents/Carers are responsible for supervising their children at all times.
- All temple events may be filmed, photographed, or live-streamed on official temple social media and YouTube channels.
6️⃣ Prasadam Collection
- Prasadam must be collected on the same day of the pooja.
- Uncollected prasadam will be distributed to devotees present at the temple.
7️⃣ Right of Admission
The Kent Ayyappa Temple Trust reserves the right to:
- Refuse or cancel any booking or event entry.
Deny admission or remove individuals from the venue for non-compliance with temple guidelines (without refund).
🤝 Partnership with Kent Hindu Samajam
In partnership with Kent Hindu Samajam, a voluntary community organisation, we have conducted over 15 years of Hindu events in Medway and surrounding areas — all open to the public and carried out with full cooperation from local authorities.
📩 Contact Details
📍 Kent Ayyappa Temple
1 Northgate, Rochester, Kent, ME1 1LS
📞 Tel: 07838 170203 / 07985 245890
📧 Email: kentayyappatemple@gmail.com
