Thousands of devotees witnessed the mahasamprokshanam (consecration) of the Vadabadra Sayanar and Andal temple here on Friday morning.
The last mahasamprokshanam was held 15 years back.
Bhattacharyas from the temple performed pujas to the ‘kalasams’ on the ‘Rajagopuram’ of the temple and at 8.20 a.m. sprinkled holy water on them, signifying the mahasamprokshanam.
Sprinklers
Artificial sprinklers fitted at six vantage points on the terraces of the temple were switched on during the auspicious time to sprinkle holy water on the devotees.
As a run-up to the mahasamprokshanam, special pujas and homams were performed in the temple from May 18. On Friday, the presiding deity of the temple, Sri Varabadra Sayanar Perumal, adorned special silk brought from the Venkatachalapathy Temple in Tirupati, as is the custom.
Executive Officer of the temple Ramaraja said that the renovation and beautification work began in mid-2013 at a cost of Rs. 96.5 lakh provided by the State government. The works carried out included renovation and beautification of the Sala vimanam behind the temple, the vimanams of the sanctum sanctorum of Vadabadra Sayanar Perumal and Sakkrathazhwar, Ramanujar, Nammazhwar and Lakshmi Narasimhar sannidhis. “In addition to this, donations from devotees enabled us to build five new toilets and two new bathrooms close to the temple premises.
Roof using aluminium sheets has also been installed for the walkways connecting the different sannidhis so that devotees do not have to walk under the sun,” Mr. Ramaraja said. Two new copper-plated ‘kodimarams’ have also been installed in the temple.
Tight security
There was tight security in place for the event and police personnel cordoned off the main roads and barred vehicle entry from early in the morning around the temple. Temporary watchtowers were set up and special vehicles with speakers detailing safety instructions for the devotees were made to ply. R. Kannan, Additional Chief Secretary, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, M. Veerasanmugakanni, Secretary, HR and CE, Collector V. Rajaraman and Superintendent of Police S. Maheswaran were among those who witnessed the mahasamprokshanam.
