Chennai: A massive 80-feet high image of Lord Shiva is getting readied with one lakh tons of coconuts to serve as a major attraction during the Maha Sivarathri on March 4 at the ancient Sri Tripurasundari Samedha Sri Chandramouleshwar temple near here.
The image which will be made to resemble the Lord will also have a cobra around His neck and a trishul. “Instead of making Sivalingam for worship, we have decided to make a unique idol of Lord Shiva using one-ton coconuts. Eco-friendly material would be used to bind the coconuts and the image of the Lord would appear majestic,” says V. Subramanian, Secretary of Jankalyan.
Mr. Subramanian who is the coordinator of the temple situated at Keelapattu in Nagari near here said five Lingams, representing the five elements, would also be made and placed before the huge image of the Lord, also for worship during this Maha Sivarathri.
According to Ganesh, who is assisted by his friends in making the new idol, a large number of devotees had donated coconuts to make the image and he hoped to complete it in few days' time. “We have decided to make something unique this time and hit upon the idea of making an idol of Lord Shiva with coconuts. Utmost care is being taken to ensure the idol is eco-friendly,” Ganesh adds.
Stating that nothing would go waste, Ganesh told Deccan Chronicle that the coconuts would be used for the Ganapathi homam planned for April.
Meanwhile, a book on the Linga Sahasranama archana and Uma Maheswar archana, complied by Mr. Subramanian, would be released on Maha Sivarathri at the temple.
