Tamil Nadu - Dindigul   

‘Padayatris' to get resting halls

DINDIGUL: Padayatris (pilgrims who come on foot to the Dhandayuthapaniswamy Temple in Palani) from Madurai, Theni and other places south of Dindigul will soon have spacious halls with all basic amenities at Kannivadi and Sri Ramapuram town panchayats for resting.

Sri Dhandayuthapaniswamy Temple administration has started constructing two mandapams at an estimated cost of Rs.40 lakh for the convenience of pilgrims from distant places to stay and relax at late night or mid day.

Laying foundation stone in both places near here on Wednesday, Minister for Revenue I. Periasamy said that the first mandapam would be constructed on the campus of Sri Kottai Karuppanaswamy Temple in Kannivadi and another one near government veterinary clinic at Sri Ramapuram.

The temple administration would foot the construction cost.

With no proper place to stay, pilgrims had to stay in private farms, nearby temple corridors and road sides. These rest halls would not only provide comfort to pilgrims but also ensure safety and security to their properties, he added.

He appealed to the temple authorities to allow poor people to use the facility to conduct marriages during off seasons. (Pilgrims come to the temple in January and February for ‘Thai Poosam' festival every year.)

Government would take steps to construct a dining hall on the campus and provide all facilities, including vessels, stoves and furniture to perform marriages.

Such a measure would help poor people and also the temple administration keep the mandapams engaged throughout the year.

Reacting to a demand for a new bus stand for Kannivadi, the Minister said that a bus stand would be constructed soon.

It would encourage the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation to operate more buses to Kannivadi from Dindigul and nearby towns.

The government's new Kalaignar Housing Scheme would make Tamil Nadu the first hut-free State in the country.

A total of 21 lakh poor and downtrodden living in huts would get concrete houses, the Minister added.

Collector M. Vallalar, trustees of Sri Dhandayuthapaniswamy temple and other officials spoke.

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