Thursday, May 3, 2012

43 temples to be consecrated in state this year


Chennai, May 9 : Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister M S M Anandhan today said 43 temples in the state would be consecrated this year at a total cost of Rs 22.50 crore.
Replying to the demand for grants for his department in the state Assembly, he said the Kumbhabhishekam (consecration of the temple) would be performed in 43 temples, including the famous Madurai Meenakshi Amman, Srirangam Sri Ranganathaswamy temple and Kumbakonam Sarangapani temple.

He said new halls would be constructed for 'annadanam' (free meals in temples) scheme in 21 temples at a cost of Rs 4.50 crore in 21 temples. The new halls would be constructed at Srirangam Sri Ranganathaswamy temple, Tuticorin Sankara Rameswarar temple, Rameswaram Sri Ramanathaswamy temple, Siruvapuri Balasubramania swamy temple, Tiruvannamalai Arunachaleswarar temple, Kuchanoor Suyambu Saneeswarar temple, Sholingar Sri Lakshmi Narasimhar temple and at Kumbakonam Chakrapani Swamy temple.

He said renovation works would be taken up in 43 ancient temples, including the Kancheepuram Devarajaswamy temple, Ekambareswarar temple, Srimushnam Bhuvaragaswamy temple, Madurai Meenakshiamman temple and Kumbakonam Sarangapani temple at a cost of Rs 22.50 crore. Mr Anandhan said boarding facilities would be provided at Thirunageswaram Naganathaswamy temple in Kumbakonam, Sri Ramanathaswamy temple at Rameswaram and Lord Narasimhar temple at Namakkal at a cost of Rs three crores.

An Odhuvar Training Institute will come up at Tiruvannamalai Arunachaleswarar and Madurai Meenakshi Amman temples, he said. Announcing that engineers, who supervise renovation works in ancient temples, would henceforth be appointed directly by the HR and CE department, Mr Anandhan said details of all the temple lands in the State would be made available on the internet.

He said those who donate Rs one crore and above to temples would be issued platinum cards which would ensure priority darshan for them and their family members in all the temples across the State, except during festive occasions. The card holders could avail free stay in temple guest houses. In the first phase, the scheme would be implemented in 15 temples including Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam and at three of the six abodes of Lord Muruga at Tiruchendur, Tiruttani and Palani, he said.

Similarly those who donate Rs seven lakh and above for the 'Annadhanam' scheme would be given diamond cards which would ensure priority darshan for them and their family members in all the temples across the State, except during festive occasions.
- Agencies
May 09, 2012

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