Main focus will be on safeguarding 1,000 pillar mandapam: Expert team

In the massive fire in the Veera Vasantha Rayar Mandapam on Friday, several pillars were damaged and the roof collapsed. Following the incident, the technical expert team was appointed and, on Thursday, the team started its inspection. 

The team is headed by V Balasubramanian, retired PWD chief engineer, and comprises Arun Menon, assistant professor from IIT, T Sathiyamoorthy, retired archaeological superintendent, Karumuttu T Kannan, temple trustee, temple stapathis, a sculptor and officials from the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department. The team photographed the damaged portions in the Veera Vasantha Rayar Mandapam and took videos of the rubble. They held a discussion in the afternoon about the work to be undertaken in the coming days. According to Collector K Veera Raghava Rao, the team would suggest renovation work without disturbing the traditional aspects of the temple and will also oversee it. 

Later, Arun Menon said the team inspected the damaged areas and their aim is to identify critical structures to clear the debris. After identification, they would be preserved. “Salvage operations would be carried out to secure the Veera Vasantha Rayar Mandapam,” said Menon. He also said that while carrying out operations at the mandapam, the team would ensure that no damage is inflicted on the 1,000 pillar hall, adjacent to the mandapam. 

“Ancient sculptures and idols are in large numbers in the 1,000 pillar hall which is an ancient treasure. It needs to be preserved,” he said. He added there was extensive damage due to the fire. Before studying the damage, the safety and security of the team will also be ensured, said Menon.

An independent body similar to the Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam (TTD), should be established for important temples in the state such as the Madurai Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, said the Mannargudi Jeeyar, in Madurai on Thursday. 

Following an inspection of the fire-hit Veera Vasantha Rayar Mandapam in the temple, the jeeyar said the blame for the calamity seemed to clearly lay with the temple officials. Instead of selling holy ash, kumkuma, turmeric and other items related to prayers,  plastic items are sold inside the temple, which is against Agama rules, he said. 

A petition demanding high security in the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple was on Thursday filed in the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court. Petitioner Muthukumar, a lawyer from Madurai, said devotees were shocked because of the massive fire on February 2. 

In 2009, the National Investigation Agency had warned that there is a security threat for the temple and so high security should be provided for the shrine, the petitioner said. Though temple officials claim there are only 115 shops in the temple there are over 400 shops and because of this more than 2,000 people roam without any security check in the shrine, the petitioner said.