Erode, 13 July

Tamil Nadu Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) PK Sekarbabu on Sunday announced that Asia’s tallest Murugan statue measuring 186 feet will be installed at the Thindal Murugan temple in Erode.

Accompanied by State Housing and Urban Development Minister S Muthusamy, Sekarbabu visited the Velayuthasamy temple in Thindal, located about seven km from Erode, to inspect the proposed site for the installation.

Addressing the press, Sekarbabu said the full-scale statue, made of cement and costing Rs 30 crore, was announced in the recent Tamil Nadu budget session. Construction work has already commenced, he added.

"This will be the tallest Murugan statue in Asia," the minister said.

Sekarbabu also highlighted that under the DMK government’s four-year tenure, Kumbabishekams (consecration ceremonies) were conducted in 3,225 temples, including 124 Murugan temples. On Monday, 46 more temples across the state will undergo Kumbabishekam, he said.

The minister noted that the state government has sanctioned Rs 1,120 crore as grants to the HR&CE Department and thanked donors for their contributions.

"So far, we have received Rs 1,400 crore in donations from devotees across Tamil Nadu," he said.

Further, Muthusamy announced that two kalyana mandapams (marriage halls) will be constructed at the Thindal Velayuthasamy temple, and that consecration work at the Sivan temple in Thindal will begin soon.

Among those present at the site were Rajya Sabha MP Anthiyur P Selvaraj, MP K E Prakash, MLA V C Chandhirakumar, Erode Mayor Nagarathinam, HR&CE Commissioner P N Sridhar, and other officials.