Major Temple Renovation, Pilgrim Amenities Announced

Chennai:The Hindu religious and charitable endowments (HR&CE) department has announced a wide-ranging package of works for 2026-27, focusing on the renovation and conservation of temples, improvement of pilgrim amenities, expansion of annadhanam services and welfare measures for temple employees.

As part of the initiative, renovation works will be taken up in 64 temples that are more than 1,000 years old at an estimated cost of Rs. 125 crore through government funds. Five other temples of similar antiquity will undergo renovation at a cost of Rs. 7 crore through donor and temple funds.

The department has also proposed renovation of 75 completely dilapidated temples at a cost of Rs. 50 crore and another 75 partially-dilapidated temples at Rs. 35 crore in the first phase.

Renovation works will additionally be undertaken in 152 temples at an estimated cost of Rs.35 crore.

Several major temples have been specifically identified for infrastructure works. These include the Swaminatha Swamy temple at Swamimalai, Kandaswamy temple at Tirupporur and the Chennamalleeswarar and Chennakesava Perumal temples in Chennai. Works have also been proposed at temples in Thoothukudi, Coimbatore, Madurai and Kanyakumari districts.

The announcements include construction of new mandapams, circumambulatory mandapams, rest halls, tonsure halls and pongal mandapams.

New rajagopurams will also be constructed at six temples, including temples at Kaalapatti, Kuchanur, Melur and Sulur.

The department has paid particular attention to temple tanks. Four temple tanks, including those at Tiruvottiyur, Teppakulam in Madurai and Srirangam, will be renovated, while 100 dilapidated temple tanks will be restored in the first phase at an estimated cost of Rs. 40 crore.

Pilgrim amenities will also receive a major push. Accommodation facilities will be created at temples, including in Samayapuram, Eachanari and Ratnagiri, while basic facilities such as sanitation blocks, drinking water, queue facilities, shelters, footwear and baggage storage facilities and breastfeeding rooms will be improved at several major temples.

At the Arunachaleswarar temple in Tiruvannamalai, facilities including mobile phone, baggage and footwear security, a breastfeeding room, drinking water, seating, fans, electricity and shelters will be provided at a cost of Rs. 8 crore. At the Palani Dhandayuthapani Swamy temple, basic facilities including sanitation, changing rooms, a breastfeeding room, a shelter for 300 people and seating for 1,600 devotees in queues will be established at Rs. 7 crore.

The department has also proposed the purchase of emergency vehicles for 20 temples witnessing high footfall, at a cost of Rs. 3 crore. Sixty-two electric wheelchairs will be procured for 38 temples with long circumambulatory routes, to assist senior citizens and persons with disabilities, at an estimated cost of Rs. 30 lakh.

At Tiruchendur, a new sewage treatment plant, with a capacity of 15 lakh litres a day, will be established at a cost of Rs. 11 crore. A parking facility will be created for devotees visiting the Srirangam temple, while four mini-buses will be procured to provide free transport between the railway and bus stations and the Tiruchendur temple.

Two buses will also be purchased to facilitate free travel for devotees visiting the Sorimuthu Ayyanar temple at Karaiyar, in Tirunelveli district.

The department has proposed new annadhanam halls at several temples and expansion of the number of beneficiaries under the existing annadhanam scheme.

At temples including Perur, Kundrathur, Sivanmalai, Kanchipuram and Anuvavi Subramania Swamy temple, the number of beneficiaries will be increased. At Chennimalai and Vayalur, annadhanam will be extended to 200 devotees on important festival days.

Several measures have also been announced for the welfare of temple employees. The maximum surrender of earned leave at retirement will be increased from 210 to 240 days. Maternity leave will be increased from nine months to 12 months. The marriage assistance available to temple employees and their heirs will also be substantially enhanced, up to Rs.2 lakh for employees of major temples and Rs. 1 lakh for employees of other temples.

Children of temple employees will receive priority in admission to colleges run by temples, along with a 50% concession in tuition fees. A Temple Employees Selection Board will also be constituted to ensure transparent recruitment to vacant posts in temples and educational institutions under them.

The department has proposed improvements to schools and colleges run by temples, including a Rs. 15-crore permanent campus for the Arthanareeswarar Temple College of Arts and Science at Tiruchengode. Nine new buses will be purchased for students studying in institutions run by the Palani temple, at a cost of Rs. 3.10 crore.

The announcements also place emphasis on preserving and promoting Tamil religious and cultural heritage. One hundred and eight rare books on temple history and devotional Tamil literature that are out of print or have never been published will be brought out in critical and popular editions, with digital editions made available for free download. The history of major temples already published in Tamil will also be translated into English for devotees from other states and overseas.

Virtual Reality-based temple history interpretation centres will be established to showcase temple histories, inscriptions, architecture, sculptures, paintings and devotional literature through visual displays and audio explanations in Tamil and English. The department will also organise knowledge-oriented temple tours for 2,000 devotees to highlight the historical and artistic significance of ancient temples.

In addition, one-day spiritual tours to important temples will be organised for 10,000 senior citizens during the year. A detailed plan will also be prepared to develop the six Murugan temples, collectively known as the Arupadai Veedu, as model temples.

The department has further announced special initiatives to celebrate Saivite and Vaishnavite traditions, including festivals commemorating Appar, Pattinathar, the Alwars and Siddhars. Annual village deity art festivals will also be conducted across all regions to preserve traditional worship practices and folk culture.

Temple-owned unused land will be developed into nandavanams with native trees, medicinal plants and flowering plants required for temple worship, creating green spaces conducive to meditation and spiritual activities.

The package also includes a Rs. 3-crore elephant welfare camp to be conducted again at Thekkampatti, along the Bhavani river, for elephants belonging to temples and mutts.