Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR and CE) Department Commissioner M. Veera Shanmuga Moni inspected the ongoing ‘thirupani’ at the Sri Ramanathaswamy temple here as the temple authorities are gearing up to perform the ‘kumbabishekam’ later this year.
Accompanied by Joint Commissioner S. Selvaraj and M. Mayilvahanan, Assistant Divisional Engineer of the temple, Mr. Moni inspected the construction of two ‘Rajagopurams’ at the southern and northern entrances and the final phase of painting works at the existing eastern and western towers.
The Commissioner also inspected the building of cut stone Amman Munmandapam near the eastern entrance and expressed satisfaction over the progress of the works, Mr. Mayilvahanan said.
The 17th century temple, one of the 12 ‘Jyothirlinga’ temples dedicated to Lord Shiva is getting the facelift ahead of the long due ‘kumbabishekam,’ the fourth since the first ‘kumbabishekam’ that was performed in 1948. After a long gap, the second one was performed in 1975 and the third in 2001. After completing all the works, the ‘kumbabishekam’ is likely to be performed by the end of this year, sources said.
This year’s kumbabishekam assumed greater significance as two more five-tier 91-foot Rajagopurams have been built at the southern and northern entrances. After completing the installation of ‘Vigrahams’ in the new towers, all the four Rajagopurams would be uniformly painted, Mr. Selvaraj said.
The painting works in the nine-tier 126-foot eastern and five tier 78-foot western towers are on full swing, he added. “The two new towers would add grandeur to the imposing temple,” he also said.
Water jet washing works at Swamy and Ambal sannadhis in the first corridor have been completed and the outer corridors (prakaras), with elaborately carved pillars, were already given a facelift with a fresh coat of paint, he said.
