Madurai: The installation of the 79th and final pillar marked a key milestone in the restoration of the historic Veera Vasantharayar Mandapam at the Meenakshi Amman temple here on Thursday.
The mandapam had suffered extensive damage in a major fire that broke out on February 2, 2018, gutting several shops located within the temple complex. Following the incident, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department prepared a detailed project report at an estimated cost of Rs35.3 crore, for which government approval was subsequently obtained.
As part of the restoration work, stone blocks were sourced from a rocky terrain in Pattinam village of Rasipuram taluk in Namakkal district after obtaining necessary government orders from the mining department. The stones were transported to the temple’s Koodal Sengulam farm worksite, where they were sculpted and shaped into ornamental pillars.
The stone carving and installation works were carried out under the supervision of Sthapathi V P Velmurugan from Thirumuruganpoondi near Tirupur. So far, around 65,000 cubic feet of stone have been brought from the quarry for the project.
Officials said all 79 pillars required for the mandapam had been fully sculpted, and the final pillar was installed on Thursday in the presence of the chairman of the temple’s board of trustees, the joint commissioner-cum-executive officer, engineers, and other officials. With the completion of pillar installation, the restoration of the mandapam is nearing its final stages, officials added, reiterating the department’s commitment to preserving the architectural heritage of the iconic temple.
The temple prepares for its upcoming consecration (Kumbabhishekam), which is scheduled for September 17.
