Ettukkudi Murugan Temple lacks basic amenities
The historic Ettukkudi Murugan Temple in Thirukkuvalai taluk, under the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department, continues to face infrastructure gaps despite attracting hundreds of devotees daily and tens of thousands during major festivals.
Situated in Ettukkudi panchayat, the Subramaniya Swamy Temple is known for its Chola-era architecture, association with saint Arunagirinathar's Thiruppugazh hymns, and the samadhi of siddhar Vanmeeka. It draws large crowds during Kanda Shashti, monthly Sashti, Karthigai, and the Chithira Pournami festival.
However, basic amenities for visitors remain severely lacking. 'There is only one toilet, located far from the temple, and it has remained locked and unusable for a long time. It serves no purpose, and open defecation is common,' said T. Selvam, CPI State committee member and former panchayat union councillor. He noted the absence of a proper solid waste management system.
Mr. Selvam urged the government to prioritise key infrastructure improvements, including functional public toilets, dedicated parking spaces, high-mast lighting around all four sides of the main gopuram, and road upgrades. He called for widening access roads and expanding the bus stand, which struggles to manage the influx of vehicles during peak times. Despite the temple's religious prominence, the area still lacks a proper public transport terminal and faces poor mobile network coverage, particularly within the temple premises.
R. Ravi, a devotee, said the temple pond had been encroached by the bus shelter and urged its restoration along with walking paths and green spaces. He flagged lack of a designated parking area, which caused traffic congestion during festivals.
An HR&CE official said funds had not been sanctioned yet for Ettukkudi Temple infrastructure, but proposals had been submitted and work will begin once approved and funded.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
a day ago
- Indian Express
A road trip takes these friends back in time, to the medieval empires across the Deccan peninsula
A long-held desire to visit Hampi finally fructified in the guise of an all-girls road trip through Karnataka in March. It was an indelible adventure, one that, on the face of it, began in Goa and ended in Bangalore, but in fact wove five history enthusiasts through the vestiges of three dynamic empires spread across the Deccan peninsula and 10 medieval centuries. It is no coincidence that their once-thriving capitals are located near river systems. Waterways have long played a critical role in the development of civilizations, empires and societies, not least economies. In the case of the Chalukya and Vijayanagara empires, says historian Anirudh Kanisetti, the river valleys they arose in also held geopolitical and strategic importance. 'The Malaprabha river cuts through sandstone cliffs which provide an easily fortifiable area where you can raise crops, dredge various minerals, get sandstone to construct temples and post lookouts all over the cliffs — essentially the ideal heartland for a militaristic kingdom'. For an arid region that once produced nothing but millets, the Malaprabha river's rocky valley ultimately made amends by spawning an empire so powerful that it reigned supreme over the Deccan variously between the 6th and 12th centuries CE. Its pastoral founders reportedly borrowed their moniker from the chalke (crowbar), an essential implement for cultivators, and it went on to become synonymous with the empire's free-standing rock-cut temple architecture. The early examples can be found strewn across Aihole and Badami, the respective commercial and political power centres of the Chalukyan Empire. The finest of these temples are to be seen in the cluster at Pattadakal, their one-time cultural seat, located on a bend of the Malaprabha, a village so somnolent that it belies its past as the scenic setting of many a Chalukyan coronation. While taking a breather under a leafy tree near the stunning Lokeshwara Temple (now Virupaksha Temple), we imagine Queen Lokamahadevi — on whose behest it was built — sailing up the Malaprabha with her entourage, alighting on its bank, and walking through the large riverside gateway to supplicate before Shiva in the richly sculpted sanctum. One imagines this is also how the Ramalingeshwar complex in Aihole, best visited during the annual ratha utsav (chariot festival), would have been accessed. In its vicinity, on the ridge above a lone Jain cave temple, rock paintings and as many as 42 dolmens, are indicative of the valley's pre-historic antecedents. Alongside temples, we find the ingenious Chalukyas employing the Malaprabha's rugged terrain to their military advantage. They built the Badami citadel atop a gigantic, impossible-to-breach, sandstone promontory. While not much remains of the fortifications, the view from the top is breathtaking in every sense of the word — the climb up is neither for the unfit nor the fainthearted. After posing beside the stone chariot inside Hampi's musical-pillared Vithala Temple, our Rs 50 currency notes dutifully held aloft, we gave ourselves some downtime near the glittering and — warned a sign — crocodile-infested waters of the Tungabhadra. A two kilometre-guided walk along its rock-strewn bank, replete with shrines and monuments, would have brought us to Virupaksha Temple, the top attraction in Hampi, but the heat dissuaded us. Instead, we sat watching coracles ferry locals to and from the opposite bank. There, hidden from view by boulders and a verdant copse, was Anegundi, a prominent fortified town that predates Vijayanagara. Also where our first taste of authentic local cuisine, a lunch curated by the Kishkinda Trust, waited. We took in the calming blue as it gorged through the granite landscape. Kanisetti explains, 'The city's site, on the banks of the Tungabhadra, was strategically positioned to control the Raichur Doab, an important frontier between the Deccan Sultanates and the territories of Vijayanagara. The part of the Tungabhadra that the eponymous empire ruled over was much rockier, easy to fortify, but less suitable for populations. Vijaynagara solved this with extraordinary feats of hydraulic engineering.' By constructing dams, reservoirs, and rainwater collection systems, the Tungabhadra empire managed to transform the relatively inhospitable landscape into the seat of one of the largest cities of its time in the world. Many of these feats, the drawing of water for agriculture, drinking, and bathing, from the Tungabhadra, are still in evidence in Hampi. Most riverside temples are equipped with large step-wells (pushkarni or kalyani) to cater to the shrine's requirements. Canals built by Vijayanagara rulers continue to irrigate not just the farmlands flanking the river but even those further afield. Rainwater was harvested in several reservoirs that visibly encircle Hampi even today, like the expansive Kamalapura Lake. Another integral feature of Vijayanagara's extensive water supply system was the aqueduct. These raised water channels, as seen beside the step-well near Mahanavami Dibba, ensured the royal enclosure stayed well and truly hydrated. It is no empty boast then that Hampi once housed a whopping 400,000 inhabitants! The Yagachi Rivers in southern Karnataka are less rocky than their northern counterparts and the Hoysalas (sandwiched between the Krishna and Kaveri rivers) found them better suited for irrigation purposes. For other requirements, the rulers constructed a number of reservoirs. In fact, Dwarasamudra (Halebidu), the capital city they founded in the 11th century, stands on the shores of one such artificial lake. Those soothing waters can be seen beyond the well-tended grounds of the star-shaped and exquisitely carved 12th century Hoysaleshwar Temple. We had to ultimately steal ourselves away from Halebidu's intricate soapstone friezes and sculpted figures to head to Belur, their later capital, banked on the Yagachi. There, an equally magnificent Chennakeshava Temple held us in rapt thrall. When we finally left, we did so with the evening aarti reverberating in our ears. Could one have asked for a better send-off?
The Hindu
5 days ago
- The Hindu
NHAI to build bypass around Brihadeeswara Temple at Gangaikondacholapuram in Ariyalur district
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has decided to build a bypass around Gangaikondacholapuram on the Tiruchi-Chidambaram National Highway (NH 81) to divert traffic away from the Sri Brihadeeswarar Temple, a world heritage monument situated in Ariyalur district. The move comes in the wake of concerns raised by heritage enthusiasts and conservationists over possible damage to the ancient structure caused by due to the vibrations caused by the movement of heavy vehicles on the highway. The NHAI recently floated a tender for building the bypass at an estimate of about ₹103.62 crore. Sources in the NHAI said the greenfield 7.2-km-long bypass will run from Gangaikondacholapuram to Meensuritti on the highway and would entail land acquisition. The work is expected to commence once the land is available. As per the tender document, the work is to be completed in 18 months and the contractor would be obligated to maintain it for five years. The 134-km-long Tiruchi-Chidambaram National Highway (NH 81) was strengthened and developed in recent years in three packages covering Tiruchi-Kallagam, Kallagam-Meensuritti, and Meensuritti-Chidambaram stretches. As the highway runs close to the Sri Brihadeeswarar Temple, the Gangaikondacholapuram Development Council Trust (GKC Trust), led by its chairman R. Komagan, had called for building a bypass to protect the monument from possible damage due to vehicular traffic on the highway. Based on his representation, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in 2023 had taken up the matter with her Cabinet colleague and Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari requesting him to consider the plea. Following this, the NHAI had conducted a feasibility study and decided to build the bypass. Gangaikondachalpuram and the temple were built by King Rajendra Chola I (1012-1044 CE) after his victorious expedition up to the Gangetic plains. The Brihadeeswarar Temple, listed as one of the three Great Living Chola Temples by UNESCO, is under the maintenance of the Archaeological Survey of India. 'The highway development was endangering the structural stability of the temple and its sub shrines due to the movement of heavy vehicles close by. Besides, rare inscriptions in the temple complex will be prone to be damaged due to emissions from the vehicles,' Mr. Komagan had contended then. Welcoming the decision to build the bypass, Mr. Komagan, however, urged the NHAI to build the road expeditiously.
India.com
29-05-2025
- India.com
10 Facts About Coimbatore City You Must Know
Coimbatore is nicknamed the 'Manchester of South India' and is located in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is well known for the heritage, industrial development, culture, and the calm beauty of nature that surrounds the city. Let us dive into the compendium of facts about India's one of the most emerging cities: 1. A Historical Legacy Spanning Centuries The very first use of Coimbatore dates back to the 2 nd century CE when Cheras – one of the 3 ancient Tamil dynasties was ruling. Since then, the city has revived under the reign of Cholas, Vijayanagara Empire, and the British. The modern nickname 'Coimbatore', is said to be derived from 'Kovanputhur.' This was Kovan's abode whose chieftain erstwhile ruled during the medieval period. 2. Gateway to the Western Ghats The district is the southern foothills of the Western Ghats which grants easy access to favorite hill stations like Ooty (Udhagamandalam), Valparai, Kotagiri. The Siruvani Waterfalls, neighboring the city, also serve as a breathtaking natural wonder. 3. South India's Textile Hub Coimbatore is the 'Manchester of South India' for a reason; it has a blooming textile industry. It consists of a variety of spinning and weaving mills as well as garment manufacturing units. Moreover, it plays a vital role in the cotton production of India and exports quality textiles all over the world. When the Texvalley Expo is held, the city gets even more recognition for its power as a textile industry. 4. Coimbatore's IT Growth The city has recently been noted as a growing IT center. A variety of multinational companies and local startups are being set up in the region due to the successful conditions, abundant workforce, and good transport connection. TIDEL Park and Kovai Techno Park are greatly aiding these changes. 5. Lord Murugan's Marudamalai Temple Coimbatore has quite a few famous temples, Maridamalai being one. It's on a hill and gives great views of the surrounding area. The temple attracts many tourists and devotees at all times of the year, especially on main days like Thai Poosam, Skanda Shastri and more. 6. A Leader in Engineering Education Coimbatore has some of India's best engineering Colleges. PSG College of Technology, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kumaraguru College of Technology are some of the best engineering colleges in Coimbatore and the country. It is a worthwhile destination for students seeking technical education. They contribute significantly in the development of India's engineering talent pool. 7. Rich Biodiversity and Wildlife Sanctuaries Coimbatore is one of the best places for nature lovers because of its vicinity to places like Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park and also Anamalai Tiger Reserve. These protected places have a wide variety of plant and animal life such as: tiger, elephant, leopard and more than 200 birds. 8. A Hub For Small Scale Industries Coimbatore is well known for its small-scale industries like pump manufacturing and wet grinder production in addition to textiles and IT. This small industrial city of India is known as the industrial spine of India because it provides a large quantity of pumping solution and kitchen appliances. 9. Exciting Festivals and Artistic Traditions Coimbatore celebrates its multicultural identity through various festivals with great enthusiasm. The traditional celebrations of Pongal, Diwali, and Navratri are accompanied by events such as the Karamadai Mariamman Temple festival, which attracts thousands of devotees every year. The city hosts various cultural programs featuring classical music, dance, and other art forms of Tamil Nadu. 10. Good Transport and City Facilities The Coimbatore International Airport improves the city's access to major domestic and international locations. The city is also well-connected through rail and road, with the Coimbatore Junction being a significant railway station. Along with these, smart city projects are being undertaken to develop the city's infrastructure and improve the living standards of its citizens. Takeaway The city of Coimbatore is much more than an industrial hub; it is a breathtaking blend of natural beauty, traditional culture, and modern civilization. Its historical significance, places of worship, industrial development, educational opportunities, and smart city planning reflects the ever-changing city while preserving the rich cultural heritage. Whether it is for business or tourism, these ten pieces of information are enough to appreciate the city of Coimbatore.
