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New Indian Express
15-07-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Temple consecration held with religious zeal at Thiruparankundram
Speaking to reporters, Minister Sekar Babu said, "The Dravidian Model government has successfully conducted kumbabishekam in about 3,347 temples, including 124 Murugan temples, so far in Tamil Nadu. Proper arrangements have been made in each temple to ensure safety of people." "Though we arrived in Thiruparankundram on Sunday night, we could not go near the temple, as a large number of devotees had already gathered there. We witnessed the rituals from far and later had darshan of the deity." said M Srinivasan, a devotee from Madurai. Several philanthropists were seen offering refreshments and food to the devotees. Also, the health department had deployed special teams in as a large number of people are expected to visit the temple on Tuesday also. Speaking to TNIE, an official from health department said,"A team of doctors from PHCs in Madurai city are conducting 10 camps near Thiruparankundram. Since there is a huge gathering of devotees, two special teams from Thiruparankundram GH have been formed. Besides, a calamity ward with 50 beds has been created in the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) to meet any emergency."
Time of India
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Asia's tallest Murugan statue to be set up at Thindal temple
Erode: Ministers Sekar Babu and S Muthusamy on Sunday said Asia's tallest Murugan statue would be set up at the Murugan Temple at Thindal. "Benefactors are coming forward to finance the construction of the 186ft tall Murugan statue at Thindal. " Muthusamy said the statue would be made of cement. "The plinth will be 3.5ft tall and it will be made of black granite. The hill, where the statue will come up, is 50ft tall. Hence, the statue will look taller than its actual height. The infrastructure will be planned to accommodate five times the current number of devotees visiting the temple." Sekar Babu said the Dravidian model govt under the leadership of chief minister M K Stalin was committed to renovating temples. "During our governance so far, 3,325 temples, 125 of them Murugan temples, have been consecrated. By the end of this year, the number of temples consecrated is expected to reach 3,500." The HR&CE minister said 46 temples, including Thiruparankundram Arulmigu Subramania Swamy Temple, first in the line of six abodes of Murugan, would be consecrated on Monday. He said the govt had allocated a record subsidy of Rs1,120 crore to the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) department since it assumed office. He said the Palani temple would get a facelift at a cost of Rs416 crore, while Tiruchendur temple would be renovated at a cost of Rs98 crore. Work on installing lifts at Marudhamalai and Swamimalai temples is currently in progress. He said the work on renovating Tiruchendur temple was likely to be completed by October. "Road work for Tiruttani temple and Siruvapuri temple is also underway at a cost of Rs67 crore and Rs57 crore, respectively."
Hindustan Times
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Temple fund misused, says EPS, slugfest rages
A war of words erupted in Tamil Nadu between the DMK and AIADMK after leader of opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami alleged the DMK-led state government of misusing temple funds managed by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department to construct colleges. Temple fund misused, says EPS, slugfest rages Addressing an election campaign on Tuesday, Palaniswami said, 'Devotees donate money to temples managed by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department for their worship. How is it right to divert that money to build colleges? Can't the government build colleges using its own funds? When we governed the state, we established so many colleges using funds generated by the government. You are deliberately using temple funds through the HR&CE department. I'm not saying anything against education. I'm only saying that the government should use its own funds to construct educational institutions.' Hitting back at the AIADMK general secretary, Tamil Nadu Hindu religious and charitable endowments minister PK Sekar Babu on Wednesday said that Palaniswami is unaware of history and is 'drowned in the darkness of ignorance'. 'He is unaware of history. He should know the evolution of the HR&CE department. He should read history and learn how successive chief ministers in Tamil Nadu since the 1950s have used temple funds to establish colleges. AIADMK alliance is like a murky pond; you cannot catch fish in it. DMK alliance, on the other hand, is flowing like a clear river,' Sekar Babu said.
New Indian Express
09-07-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Rope car work at Thiruparankundram hill will begin soon, says Minister Sekar Babu
MADURAI: The committee which studied the feasibility to set up a rope car facility at Thiruparankundram hill has submitted a report stating it could be done, and work on establishing the rope car would start soon, P K Sekar Babu, Minister of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department said on Tuesday. He said this while speaking to reporters after inspecting the arrangement for the consecration of the Subramanya Swamy temple, which is scheduled to be held on July 16. "The department recently carried out feasibility test out at Thiruparankundram hill, and the reports state that there is feasibility to operate rope car here. The government will begin the work soon," he said Further, Sekar Babu said the DMK government has been conducting consecration of hundreds of temples across the state. "On a single day (July 07), 114 temples, including seven 1000-year-old temples, were consecrated across the state in the state. Not even a single mishap was reported during the consecration at Thiruchendur on Monday where more than 5 lakh people had gathered, Similar elaborate arrangements will be made in Thiruparankundram also," he said. Elaborating the arrangements, the Minister said as per PWD reports 1,700 devotees could be accommodated in the roof area of the temple.. Around 40 LED screens would be fixed at vantage points in and around the temple to live stream event. Other arrangements including police outposts, health centres and transportation facilities will be made, he added. Minister P Moorthi, district collector K J Praveen Kumar, corporation commissioner Chitra Vijayan accompanied Sekar Babu during the inspection.
Time of India
08-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
1,700 to witness Thiruparankundram temple consecration directly
Madurai: Arrangements have been made for 1,700 devotees to directly witness the consecration ceremony of the Thiruparankundram Murugan temple to be held on July 14, while LED screens will be set up at 40 spots in and around the temple, Hindu religious and charitable endowments (HR and CE) minister P K Sekar Babu, said on Tuesday. The HR and CE minister, along with state commercial taxes and registration minister P Moorthy, Madurai district collector K J Praveen Kumar, Madurai city police commissioner J Loganathan, Madurai corporation commissioner Chithra Vijayan, and other officials, reviewed the works underway for the consecration ceremony. "Around five lakh devotees took part in the consecration ceremony of Tiruchendur Murugan temple. It is a milestone of the state govt under chief minister M K Stalin. Not a single untoward incident was reported thanks to the efficient work of officials. Similarly, the Thiruparankundram Murugan temple consecration ceremony will also be conducted smoothly and all needs of devotees shall be fulfilled," he said. Sekar Babu observed that work for the consecration ceremony is underway at 2.37 crore. "The public works department has given permission to allow 1,700 devotees based on structure stability. Since more devotees are expected, it will be ensured that anyone standing on the three streets of the temple will be able to witness the event on LED screens, which will be set up at 40 spots. Arrangements for toilets, drinking water, ORS, fire safety and rescue teams, sanitation workers for clearing garbage, and medical teams have all been discussed. Around 3,000 police personnel are set to be deployed for security," he added. The minister also assured to take the request for a local holiday to be announced on July 14 on the day of the consecration ceremony to the chief minister's notice. "Transport will be specially arranged for devotees from other districts. Food will be provided for around four lakh devotees in 14 mandapams (halls). The consecration ceremony will be conducted with Tamil othuvars especially women othuvars and 200 Sivacharyas and 80 othuvars will be participating," he said. Sekar Babu also inaugurated the temple car festival as part of the Aani festival at Nellaiappar Gandhimathi Amman temple in Tirunelveli, along with state assembly speaker M Appavu.
