Copious rains this monsoon have filled up many temple tanks in the city, including those of Sri Kapaleeswarar Temple, Sri Parthasarathy Swamy Temple and Sri Vadapalani Andavar Temple.
A total of 2,359 tanks attached to 1,586 temples under the control of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department in the State have reached their capacity, helping recharge groundwater in their surroundings. “The water, if retained for the next few months, will come in handy during the annual float festivals [theppothsavam] of the temples,” said a former official of the department.
However, the big tank at Tiruvottiyur Thyagarajaswamy temple, popularly known as Vadivudaiamman temple, has been not among those that got water this season.
“It is an unfortunate situation. It is called the Adishesha Theertham. Successive governments have done nothing to ensure that the tank has water. All the streets in Tiruvottiyur resemble lakes and tanks but the temple tank is dry with water at one end alone,” said Tamil scholar and devotee Ma. Ki. Ramanan.
Water from the four mada streets (streets surrounding the temple) are supposed to empty into the tank, but road cuts, damages to drains meant to carry rainwater to the tank and incomplete work on North Mada Street have led to the tank not getting any run off water, he said.
At Mylapore, the tank of Sri Audikesava Perumal Temple overflowed causing great inconvenience to residents in the vicinity. “We were battered by the incessant rain and two days ago when the tank overflowed, dirt and some green algae entered our homes. There was no use complaining to the Greater Chennai Corporation. The tank does not seem to have any outflow system,” said P. Muralidharan, a resident.
Meanwhile, the department has completed repairs, including construction of inlet and outlet channels, steps, compound water, removal of encroachments and restoration of 835 temple tanks. Plans have been drawn up to restore and repair around 230 tanks.
