SRIRANGAM: Thousands of devotees from far and near witnessed the ‘Mahasamprokshanam (consecration)’ of the 43 smaller shrines and 11 ‘gopurams’ of the ancient Sri Ranganathaswamy temple here on Wednesday, performed after 12 years following its extensive renovation.
After performing special ‘poojas’ at the specially erected ‘Yaga salai’ at the 1000-pillar hall, the holy water filled silver pots (gadams) were taken out in a procession by priests, to the chants of Vedic scholars and devotional cries of ‘Ranga Ranga’’, until they reached their respective ‘sannidhis (shrines)’ and ‘gopurams’.
The respective priests then performed the ‘Mahasamprokshanam’ to each of the 43 ‘sannidhis’ and 11 ‘gopurams’ by offering special poojas to the ‘Kalasams’ erected atop each of the ‘sannidhis’ and ‘gopurams’, and pouring sanctified water on them.
Mr R.Kannan, secretary to HR & CE department, Government of Tamil Nadu, chairman, Board of Trustees of the temple Mr Venu Srinivasan, the Tiruchy district collector K. S. Palanisamy, joint commissioner, HR & CE department and executive officer of the temple P Jayaraman, besides others, were among the top dignitaries who were present to witness the consecration.
Police made elaborate security arrangements under the direct supervision of IG of police, Central zone and Tiruchy police commissioner-in-charge Ramasubramani.
Later, Jayaraman told newsmen that about Rs 20 crore worth renovation works were carried out in connection with the ‘Mahasamprokshanam’
Another 20 per cent works are pending at the presiding deity Shri Ranganathaswamy Sannidhi, presiding Goddess Shri Ranganayagi Thayar Sannidhi and other important parts of river Cauvery-encircled temple complex.
Soon after completion of the pending and ongoing works, the temple authorities will approach the State government for finalising the date for performing the second and culminating phase of the ‘Mahasamprokshanam’ of the shrines of the presiding deities and other ‘gopurams’ including the ‘Rajagopuram’, Asia’s tallest temple tower at 237 feet at the southern entrance to the complex, he added.
