The government would utilise ₹96 crore sanctioned by the Centre under spiritual tourism project to develop main temples and other religious places, Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy said on Sunday.
Speaking at the release of a temple directory compiled by the Department of Hindu Religious Institutions, he said ₹96 crore had been sanctioned. As a second instalment, the Centre had promised to provide another ₹96 crore.
The government had released ₹4.6 crore to develop Thrukameswar temple, ₹6 crore to Thrukanchi temple and ₹5 crore to Tirunallar temple.
The government in a phased manner would start annadhanams in all major temples, he added.
While Chief Minister released the Tamil version, Lt. Governor Kiran Bedi released the English version of the directory. In her address, she said the directory would help promote temple tourism and it would be made available in the market.
“The document would make it knowledgeable for those tourists wanting to know but cannot read Tamil,” she said.
The idea of documentation of temples began after Ms. Bedi found most inscriptions in Tamil. She directed the department to compile the heritage and significance of the temples both in Tamil and English.
Online version soon
As per the directory, there are 240 Hindu religious institutions, including 232 temples and eight mutts.
The directory has vital information such as deities, sub-deities, affiliated temples, sthala puranam, puja, temple tanks and cars.
The Tamil document runs into 541 pages and the English version 564 pages.
One index of the directory deals with sthala purana and temples where saints/sidhars samadhis are situated and temples, which were depicted with hymns. The contents of the directory would soon be available on http://hriwakf.py.gov.in .
It would be placed on the websites of Raj Nivas, Tourism and Culture Department.
Legislative Assembly Speaker V. Vaithilingam, Parliamentary Secretary to the Chief Minister K. Lakshminarayanan, Chief Secretary Ashwini Kumar, Secretary S. Sundaravadivelou and Commissioner Thillaivel were present.
