Every day, hundreds of people visit the Mariamman Temple in Ho Chi Minh City to offer fire, face the stone slabs in prayer, and show their reverence for the deity, praying for peace.
The Mariamman Temple was built by the Tamil community (South India) in the late 19th century when they came to live and work in Saigon. The temple is dedicated to the Hindu goddess Mariamman, revered by many Indians. In early October 2025, the temple was recognized as a city-level architectural and artistic heritage site.
The rituals are held daily at 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM in the main hall of the Mariamman Temple. Many people arrive early to pray and participate in cultural and social activities with the Indian community in Ho Chi Minh City.
When the temple bell rings, the sacrificial ceremony officially begins. With each bell chime, devotees return to the main hall to perform their prayers in a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
During the ceremony, the priest performs the sacrificial ritual by offering sacred fire to the goddess. According to Hinduism, Agni (the Fire God) is considered the bridge between humans and the divine. Therefore, fire is present in every sacrificial ceremony. Fire symbolizes purification, life, wisdom, and the light of faith and love.
The sacrifice is performed with solemnity. The priest holds a small tray of charcoal while reciting prayers and passing the fire over the offerings before the statues of the gods in the temple. Afterward, devotees receive the fire by warming their hands over the flames and gently touching their faces to pray for clarity and wisdom.
Sandalwood and agarwood powders are used to make incense sticks that have a warm, soothing fragrance. When attending the ceremony, the temple encourages each person to light only one incense stick to maintain solemnity and ensure safety from fire hazards.
At the end of the ceremony, each person receives a red mark on their forehead. This symbolizes divine blessing. The red dot is called Tilaka, a sacred mark in Hindu culture. Tilaka is usually placed between the eyebrows, a position considered the “third eye” of wisdom and intuition.
Foreign visitors can perform rituals and pray in their own way, according to their traditional customs. They can clasp their hands, light incense, or prostrate themselves before the main shrine, spreading their hands and gently raising them as a sign of their devotion to the goddess.
After completing the rituals and prayers in the main shrine, people will go around to the back of the temple, face the wall/stone slab, and place their hands on the surface to express their thoughts to the goddess.
The daily sacrificial rituals at the temple utilize offerings such as fruits, flowers, sweet rice, and sweet sticky rice. Every Friday, the temple’s attendants prepare sweet sticky rice and offerings for those attending the ceremony. Children receive candy and biscuits, while adults receive small bags containing flowers and a small amount of rice and salt. At the Mariamman Temple, this is considered a “blessing” that brings prosperity and peace to oneself and one’s family.
The central position on the upper level of the main hall is the statue of the goddess Mariamman. The statue has many arms, symbolizing strength, with one hand holding a trident and another holding a bowl of rice, bestowing blessings of abundance and prosperity.
Many other Hindu deities are also placed around the temple. Many building materials, decorations, sculptures, and statues are imported from India.
Source: collected by An
Follow us for the best deals on Vietnam package tours and visa services!
