Arrangements are in place for the formal consecration of the newly rebuilt ‘rajagopuram’ of Srikalahasti, which is all set for the ‘Mahakumbhabhishekam’ on Thursday. The Srikalahastheeswara Swamy Devasthanams has made elaborate arrangements for the smooth conduct of the event, scheduled to be held at dawn.
It was a nightmare in May 2010 when the 18th century tower, belonging to the Vijayanagara era, came down crashing with a thud. After cracks emerged at several points on the tower, the temple management roped in the services of the engineering experts from the IIT-Madras.
Even as the team predicted its imminent fall, the tower collapsed in no time sending shockwaves among the devout and the heritage conservationists.
After much dilly-dallying, the temple management finally considered its reconstruction, after holding talks with the engineering experts as well as Agama pundits.
It may be recalled that Navayuga Engineering and Construction Company, which executed the nearby Krishnapatnam Port project, came forward to rebuild the 144-ft tall Gopuram involving a financial outlay of ₹ 45 crore, as a service to the temple. A 300-strong contingent of engineers, masons and sculptors slogged it out over time to build the imposing edifice.
Before formally handing over the tower to the temple authorities, the company representatives performed ‘Viswa Kalyana Maha Yagnam’ at the Gopuram last week, praying for global peace. Company chairman Chinta Visweswara Rao, MD Chinta Sridhar and Krishnapatnam Port MD Chinta Sasidhar and Chief Executive Officer Anil Yendluri monitored the progress and also participated in the Yagnam.
‘Kalasams’ installed
Nine gold-gilded ‘kalasams’, specially made in Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu, had been installed atop the tower on Wednesday. Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham’s junior pontiff Sri Vijayendra Saraswathi prayed at the temple and also participated in the rituals.
As per his advice to trust board Chairman P. Guravaiah Naidu and Executive Officer D. Bramaramba, the priests performed ‘Abhisheka Puja’ for six times before going for the formal consecration.
