Tamil Nadu - Nagapattinam   

Tsunami-hit shore temple in need of immediate action

— Photo: K. Subramanian.

DILAPIDATED: A view of the Masilamaninathar temple on the shores of Tarangampadi.

NAGAPATTINAM: The ancient 13th century Masilamaninathar (Lord Siva ) Temple on the shores of Tarangampadi (Tranquebar) in Nagapattinam district that was partially swallowed by sea erosion and ruined by the tsunami would disappear in a few years, if no immediate action was taken to protect the temple.

No tangible efforts were reportedly taken by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HRCE) department to renovate the temple even though the State Government had announced last year that the temple had been included for renovation with its original structure along with 48 other ancient temples in the State at an estimated cost of Rs.9.87 crore.

One of the few beautiful shore temples like Mahabalipuram and Tiruchendur, the temple in the ancient period called Manivanneswaram was built by the Pandya ruler Maravarman Kulasekara in 1305 AD with Chinese architecture. Historians believed that the Pandya King built the temple combining the Chinese and Tamil architecture to attract the Chinese merchants visiting Tranquebar now called Tarangampadi.

The main temple with five-tier Rajagopuram, the front entrance with exquisitely carved granite pillars, was swallowed by the sea a few decades ago. Only part of the temple facing east which now exists is also being engulfed by the sea.

After the tsunami devastation, a philanthropist and an ardent devotee of Lord Siva had carried out minor repairs, including plastering the vimanas of small shrines and provided pathway to the temple.

The temple is said to have been endowed with nearly 1,500 acres of land property is not getting any rent for its maintenance and the whereabouts of the tenants are not yet known. Some fishermen families and local people of Porayar visit the temple and offer prayers on auspicious days and on the Maha Sivarathri day even though the temple is not under regular worship now.

People of Porayar and Tarangampadi have already appealed to the Collector to take efforts to prevent sea erosion by constructing a huge retaining wall on the Tarangampadi coast instead of heaping the granite stones to protect the ancient Danish Fort as well as the shore temple.

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