RAMANATHAPURAM
For the first time in the history of Sri Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram, the 22 theertham wells on the premises have gone dry, forcing the temple authorities to desilt them and resort to judicious use of the water.
Even after monsoon failure or shortfall of rain, the 20-foot-deep wells would have sufficient water and for the first time, they have gone dry, probably due to indiscriminate drawing of groundwater by lodges located in Ratha veedhis, temple sources said.
After the wells went completely dry or the water level went down very low, the temple authorities removed silt as the wells could not be deepened. Consequently, the wells had some water now, Assistant Divisional Engineer at the temple K. Mayilvahanan said.
“Devotees could not take holy bath in the wells but could only get the water sprinkled on their heads,” he said. Devotees, especially those from north India, understood the problem and cooperated with the authorities, he said.
The island received very little rainfall during the north-east monsoon in the last three years. The authorities were hopeful of overcoming the problem with good rainfall during the coming north-east monsoon, he said.
The lodges dug bore wells and started drawing huge quantities of groundwater after the district administration banned tanker supply of water to them. There were about 50 lodges around the temple and each drew about 10,000 litres of water every day, sources said.
Meanwhile, the temple authorities have shifted Mahalakshmi, Savithri, Gayathri, Saraswathi, Sangu and Chakra theerthams located near the Anjaneyar shrine to the north of the second corridor following an order of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court based on the suggestion of an Advocate Commission to reduce wet areas near the shrine.
Joint Commissioner of the temple G.C. Mangayarkarasi said the work had been completed and the new theerthams would be opened soon after a special puja and ‘kalasa abishekam’ with water drawn from the existing wells and poured into the new wells.
