It is said that cleanliness is next to godliness. But a visit to the Sri Amirthaghateswarar temple in Tirukadaiyur shows that devotees do not care for maintaining the temple premises clean.
It is a popular shrine for those performing the ‘Sashtiabthapoorthi’ (marriage on completion of 60 years of age) as the temple is associated with the legend wherein Lord Amirthaghateswarar blessed Bhaktha Markandaya with eternal youth. It is believed that those performing the ‘Sashtiabthapoorthi’ in front of the presiding deity will be similarly blessed.
The prakaram all around the presiding deity is small and is interspersed with pillars and proved inadequate for performing ‘yagams’ and other rituals. Several devotees, at the end of the marriages, leave behind garlands, flowers and other materials. “The cleaning of the ‘prakaram’ around the sanctum sanctorum needs so much time that it is quite difficult to close the temple right after the mid-day (Ucchi kala) pujai,” says an official.
Further, serious constraint of space forces the devotees to conduct the marriages at whatever space available, without the consent of the temple authorities. With a view to providing additional facilities to the devotees, the Dharmapuram Adheenam, which maintains the temple, has been constructing a massive mandapam on the ‘yaga mandapam’ on the outer prakaram. “It will have more space and adequate lights,” the temple authorities told The Hindu.
The mandapam, which is 370 feet long and 65 feet broad, can accommodate at least 50 couples at a given time. The work, which was taken up about a year ago, would be completed within a few months.
The temple authorities said that steps have been taken for clearing bushes grown on the ‘rajagopuram’ and other ‘vimanams.’ The temple was last renovated in 1996. The next renovation is expected to be carried out after the renovation of Thurai Kattum Vallalar Temple, which is under the maintenance of the Adheenam, was completed.
