The VEERA VASUNDHARAYAR MANDAPAM , which was damaged by fire accident in 2018 was subsequently renovated and was inaugurated on Sunday—prior to the consecration ceremony of Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple.
Madurai: The Veera Vasundharayar Mandapam, which was damaged by a fire in 2018, was reopened on Sunday after renovation, less than three weeks ahead of the consecration of Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple. S Subramanian, assistant divisional engineer of the temple, told TOI that the mandapam has been restored according to ASI norms under the supervision of a 12-member expert committee. The structure consists of 79 pillars of seven different categories. More than 65,000 cubic feet of cut stones were used to conserve its original architectural character. The renovation involved replacing 650 ceiling stones and correcting structural elevation in the 12,000 square feet heritage structure, enhancing its capacity and usability for devotees during peak pilgrimage seasons. The mandapam, especially its western portion, had suffered extensive damage in the fire that broke out on Feb 2, 2018, gutting several shops located in the temple complex. Subsequently, HR&CE department prepared a detailed project report for restoration at an estimated cost of Rs 35.3 crore, which govt approved.
Subramanian said stone blocks were sourced from a rocky terrain in Pattinam village in Namakkal district with necessary govt orders from the mining department. A major engineering challenge they encountered was correcting the elevation, as the central portion of the mandapam had risen while the sections on either side were lower, he said. The stones were selected after ensuring their texture and colour closely matched the original stonework. They were transported to the temple’s Koodal Sengulam farm worksite, sculpted and shaped into ornamental pillars. Sthapathi V P Velmurugan from Thirumuruganpoondi near Tirupur supervised carving and installation works.
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