The 200-year-old Sri Selva Vinayagar Temple situated on the Nethaji Road at Manjakuppam in Cuddalore is being relocated and reconstructed on an adjacent site.
The temple is being shifted in anticipation of the widening of the Nethaji Road, which forms part of the East Coast Road, so as to prevent any damage to the structure. It is also being put up on an elevated platform to enable the devotees to gain an unobstructed view of the deities. Therefore, Sri Selva Vinayagar Temple Devotees' Trust headed by K.Rajendran has undertaken the task of mobilising funds for the suitable repositioning of the temple at a safe site.
The family of N. V. Bhashyam Reddiyar has donated the land for moving the temple to the spacious location. The estimated cost for the reconstruction of Sri Vinayagar Temple and Sri Draupadi Amman temple is projected at Rs. 1 crore.
Two ornate granite pillars, that were supposed to be the main entrance to the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, were placed on Wednesday after doing special puja by Sthapathi K.P. Athiappan, drawn from Salem, in the presence of Dr. Rajendran, advocate Arunachalam, temple priest Sekar, Trust members K. Selvarajan, K. Thirumalai and Ganapathi, and Executive Officer of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department R.Venkatesan.
The EO told TheHindu that the devotees had acted proactively to re-position the temple for which they were mopping up resources. Asked whether the HR & CE Department, under whose jurisdiction the temple falls, would extend any financial assistance, Mr. Venkatesan said there was no such proposal as of now.
Dr. Rajendran had made an appeal to the HR & CE Department to support the devotees in one form or other in this endeavour, because after completion the temple would be brought under its control.
Mr. Athiappan, who had constructed the renowned Murugan temple at Skandagiri, a hillock about 10 km from Salem, and many other local temples, said that after completion the temple would stand 38.5 ft tall and would take about eight months to be completed.
The same idol of the presiding deity would be enshrined in the new structure. Along side, the construction of Sri Draupadi Amman temple would also be taken up. It was proposed to place the deity of the goddess on a lotus pedestal made of granite.
The trust president thanked N.V.Bashyam Reddiyar family and others who had made liberal contributions for the temple construction. However, he said for putting up the other shrine contributions would have to be raised. The contributions could be made in the name of the Trust which has opened an account in the City Union Bank here.
