The lives of many of its residents are centred around the Chola-era Dhenupureeswarar Shiva temple, which is located in the main locality, Madambakkam, mentioned The Hindu.
On May 29, a pilot run of the temple car was carried out in the neighbourhood with many residents of the region participating. The 10-day annual Bhamvottsavam function will end on June 5 with the temple car going through many streets.
The 10-day annual Bhamvottsavam function will end on June 5 with the temple car travelling through many streets.
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"To have a temple car was a dream of residents for decades. It would be a topic at every gram sabha meeting. Finally, the dream has come true," says 63-year-old V. Bajendra Babu, a long-time resident of Madambakkam.
Babu is a core committee member, which monitored the work of building the temple car. Five years ago, the idea of a constructing temple car took definite shape at a gram sabha meeting in Madambakkam. Following this, residents formed multiple teams, each constituting of more than six residents, in the manufacturing of temple car.
The biggest challenges remained in mobilising funds for the project and getting the necessary permission from the ASI, Chennai Circle, and the HR&CE.
"As the temple car is a movable asset and does not affect the monument (temple), residents got the nod from the government agencies. It's a collective effort of the residents," said an executive officer of the temple, P. Kolangi.
"We had no idea about the design features of a temple car. We learnt several things along the way," says Manikandan, a temple sculptor from Madambakkam.
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Residents made reasonable contributions towards the project, sponsoring parts of the car. Donations ranged from Rs. 100 to a few lakh rupees.
The Core Committee also visited multiple temples, including those in Vadapalani, Tiruvottiyur, Thiruporur, Virudachalam near Tiruchy, to learn about temple car designs. Temple sculptors (Sabathis) from Perambalur district were lined in.
– prepared by Naina Mishra of Newsgram. Twitter: Nainamishr94
