Tiruchi, June 23, 2013: A visitor to Sri Erumbeeswarar Temple in Tiruverumbur will be take home memories of a temple with rebuilt compound wall for the temple tank and a concrete road.

A beautification programme was implemented by the Tourism Department with amenities for the devotees.

The department identified the temple which is under the jurisdiction of Archaeological society of India (ASI) by virtue of its heritage importance.

The beautification scheme included construction of a compound wall for the temple tank, provision of ornamental lights and laying a concrete road to the temple. The work was executed in coordination with the Tiruchirapalli City Corporation, at an expenditure of Rs. 45 lakh.

“A large number of devotees visit the temple particularly during the monthly rituals such as ‘girivalam’ and also for ‘pradhosham’. In a majority of shrines, the temple tanks are located inside the temple. But at Sri Erumbeeswarar temple, the tank is located to the right of the premises,” say official sources.

The beautification work was completed about eight months ago but its benefits were realised recently during the Vaikasi annual temple car festival held last month. Till last year, the absence of adequate road facility and the compound wall for the tank posed great danger to devotees while pulling the car during the Vaikasi festival. But for the first time, the temple car was pulled without any hitch this year, say the temple sources.

The illumination in front of the temple is bound to ensure not only beautification but also safety for the devotees, according to G. Karuppiah, a resident of Tiruverumbur. He says that the compound prevents little children and the aged from slipping into the tank, particularly at night. Although ornamental lights were set up a few months ago, it should be energised, he said.

T. Pandian, a Tamil scholar who has been organising religious programmes periodically at the temple, says the endeavour has come handy for providing a clean premises. This is one of the major temples in and around Tiruchi city where the Tourism Department has taken the initiative with a multi-purpose objective of promotion of tourism and provision of infrastructure for devotees. Already, the department is implementing various projects for the benefit of the devotees visiting the Srirangam Sri Ranganathaswami Temple from across the country round the year.

The creation of additional facilities in places of worship will not only benefit the devotees, but also attract more tourists, which in turn will give a boost to the local economy, a cross-section of the people say.

The central districts account for many ancient and renowned temples and the government should take steps for the creation of similar facilities, they say.

Source: The Hindu, DT. June 23, 2013