Roof of ancient Thiruvalangadu temple mandapam caves in

The roof of the hundred pillared hall (Nooru kaal Mandapam) of the ancient Shiva temple, Arulmigu Vandarkuzhali Amman sametha Vadaranyeswarar at Thiruvalangadu in Tiruvallur district has caved in. 

Sources in the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department under whose purview the temple falls, said that the roof fell on Tuesday night and staff and devotees found it in a damaged condition on Wednesday morning.

Last month, the hay that was stored inside the mandapam had caught fire and it took nearly two days for the fire services personnel to put it out completely. The hay had been donated to the temple and it was meant for the cattle in its gowshala. 

Two temple staff members were suspended following the incident — for not implementing an office order that hay should not be stored inside the temple premises and for not shifting the cows to the newly-constructed gowshala, that is located a few hundred metres from the temple. “There is enough space to store hay on the new premises and open space for the cows to amble about freely,” explained a source. 

On Thursday, the members of the State-level expert committee on heritage temples visited and examined the Mandapam along with the Joint Commissioner (Tiruttani), engineers and sthapathis. 

Devotees said that maintenance was lacking in the temple, which was one of the five abodes, where Lord Shiva was said to have danced. It also houses the Rathna Sabha. Saint Karaikal Ammaiyar was believed to have watched the dance of the Lord and He had addressed her as Ammaiye (Mother). 

“Since the temple is a sub-temple of the Tiruttani temple, officials do not come here very often. During the recent call for trustees for temples, this shrine was not included. Only those who are really committed to the welfare of temples should be given the opportunity to serve the deities,” said a devotee.