TAMIL NADU, INDIA, February 6, 2007: Arulmigu Mariamman Temple held a grand kumbabhishekam to commemorate the covering of the vimana with gold. The news report explained, “The vimana was adorned with 71 kg gold at a cost of US$1.8 million. The gold bars donated by devotees over the years were made into golden sheets before casting them onto the vimana. The intricate work of making the gold sheets was done with craftsmen from Hyderabad. Initially copper castings of the images on the vimana were prepared and gold was coated on these castings. Later metal pressing and polishing was done. The 48 images on the vimana were renovated prior to the castings. The entire work was accomplished in a period of three months, with as many as 96 craftsmen involved in the process.”
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