The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department will start a music school at the Sri Venugopalaswamy temple in Tiruttani, Tiruvallur district, to teach youngsters how to play nagaswaram, thavil and other instruments related to temples, and train them in classical music.
Minister P.K. Sekarbabu, who inspected the location where the school will come up at a cost of ₹50 lakh on Thursday, said a hall was available at the site where the school would be started. “Once the building is ready, the school will be shifted there and more subjects added,” he said.
Earlier, the Minister visited the Subramaniaswamy temple, where repair work on the golden temple car is nearing completion. “The silver temple car will be renovated soon. Steps leading to the rajagopuram have to be completed, and three mandapams, along the walkers’ path, will be reconstructed,” he said. On the demand for an alternate path on the hill, he said the Forest Department had sought 7 acres of land in exchange, and land had also been identified.
At the Vadaranyeswarar temple in Thiruvalangadu, the soolam (trident) of Bhadrakali will be replaced. “The old one went missing several years ago, but no police complaint was given at the time. The gurukal incharge has died and the official has retired. The priest has given a written statement that he has placed a new trident in place of the missing one. But it looks like a vel rather than a trident. So we are going for a legal opinion as to what can be done in this case,” Mr. Sekarbabu said.
He was accompanied by HR&CE Commissioner J. Kumaragurubaran and other officials.
