All set for Agastheeswarar kumbhabhishekam

By Our Staff Reporter

VILLUPURAM, AUG. 21. Arrangements are made for the performance of the ``kumbhabhishekam'' at the abode of Sri. Agastheeswarar - a denominational temple at Maragathapuram village, 10 km from here.

The kumbhabhishekam is scheduled for 9.30-10.30 a.m., August 30.

The temple is connected with the life of the saint- poet Agasthiar. The Kumbhabhishekam is being performed after a prolonged legal battle over possession of the temple and its property, including cultivable land and valuable idols.

According to Sri Swarnakaleeswara Sharma, one of the hereditary custodians of the temple, the HR & CE, wayback in 1975, took over the temple all of a sudden.

As it was a Brahmin denominational temple (a ``denominational temple'' is one which is maintained by a particular community for centuries), Sri Sharma, aged about 90, filed a petition in the High Court.

In 1978, the court directed the HR & CE to hand over the temple to Sri Sharma, but the verdict was executed only in 1986. As the department had rented out the temple land, there was yet another hitch in handing over the lands to Sri Sharma.

The Villupuram sub-court in 1995 directed the authorities to hand over the property to Sri Sharma in March 2001.

According to Mr. D. Natarajan, a member of the Denominational Temple Committee, the last kumbhabshikeam was performed on May 5, 1944.

The committee, which took over possession of the temple in March, immediately arranged for the kumbhabhishekam, mobilising donations from Brahmins, many of whom are abroad.

The temple was given a facelift with the construction of a ``mandap'' and was renovated in just five months, he said.

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Section  : Southern States
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