News from Coimbatore:

The 1,500-year-old Sri Kalahatheeswarar Sri Abirami Amman Temple will be reconstructed at an estimated cost of Rs.20 crore, according to Minister for Power R. Viswanathan.

Participating in the Vastu puja for reconstruction of the temple near the Clock Tower here on Tuesday, he said the temple which was constructed during Mysore Emperor Krishna Devaraya period will have five-storey (Aindhu Nilai) main gopuram and inner gopurams for all the main deities.

The minister donated Rs.20 lakh for the renovation. Temple construction committee head P.Velusamy said Rs.4 crore would be spent on construction of moolasathanam, stone mandapam, garbagraham and mahamandapam. Sri Subramaniaswamy Temple administration at Palani contributed Rs.50 lakh for the work. Former Dindigul MP C.Srinivasan and Municipal Chairman V.Marudharaj donated Rs.6 lakh and Rs.5 lakh respectively.