‘Veera Vasantharayar Mandapam renovation to be over before consecration’

Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple authorities on Monday told the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court that the renovation work of the Veera Vasantharayar Mandapam would be completed before the consecration ceremony which is scheduled for September 17.

A Division Bench of Justices C.V. Karthikeyan and R. Sakthivel was hearing a public interest litigation filed by A. Radhakrishnan of Salem. The petitioner had sought a direction to the authorities to secure and safeguard the properties of the temple and the sub-temples and to expedite the renovation and consecration ceremony.

Earlier, the court had directed the authorities to file a report on the date of the completion of the renovation work of the Veera Vasantharayar Mandapam.

The court had also directed the authorities to file the details regarding the encroachments on the properties belonging to Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple.

The court had sought details on the names of the encroachers, the extent of the encroachment and the purpose for which they had been encroached upon.

The petitioner said the High Court in 2021 had directed the Chief Secretary to convene a meeting with the heads of all the departments to formulate a mechanism or rules to safeguard the temple properties in the State.

A meeting was convened in August 2021, in which the Chief Secretary had instructed the authorities to take the necessary action and submit a report at the next meeting. However, no further meetings were held, he said. The petitioner sought a direction to the authorities to comply with the court directions.

The court adjourned the hearing in the case to July 29.