Agni Theertham on girivalam path in Tiruvannamalai sealed

TIRUVANNAMALAI: The ‘Agni Teertham’ located on the Girivalam path in Tiruvannamalai town was sealed on Tuesday night following complaints that idols installed without permission.

The temple town has many holy tanks, including the ‘Agni Teertham’, under the control of the HR&CE department and they are used for religious purposes.

The ‘Agni Teertham’, located on Chengam Road, was de-silted and cleaned by Chidamabara Sonachal Swami of the Perur Mutt in 2014. Sources said that after desilting, an idol of Nandi and a Siva Lingam were placed near the theertham and devotees turned up and started worshipping it.

“As number of devotees worshipping the idol swelled and money being collected for such worship by the Swami, HR&CE officials attached to the Arulmigu Arunachaleswarar temple were forced to act,” a senior temple official told DT Next.

After enquiries, the temple’s executive officer and trustees arrived at the spot sent out those inside the ‘Agni Teertham’, and sealed the main gate. The incident saw Sonachala Swami objecting to temple officials trying to move him toward the gate and warned them not to touch him.

Sonachala Swami told the media that the tank was now clean due to it being de-silted and cleaned in 2014. But some elements had made false complaints. “Only proper poojas were done for the idol and no money was ever collected,” he said.

Meanwhile, temple officials claimed that though the swami had sought official permission to desilt and clean the tank, it was not handed back to the officialdom properly and that poojas were done for the Lingam installed without official permission. This led to complaints of money being collected.

However, those in the know revealed that some local elements, who were unable to enter the tank and make money had only complained to temple officials to seal the tank.