TIRUCHARIPALLI, INDIA, January 23, 2009: An ancient Vaishnavite temple in nearby Gopurappatti village is finally getting a facelift, thanks to the dedication of residents and other devotees. After a century of neglect, the temple had fallen into ruins; the gopurams (towers) and outer walls had caved in, and even the idol of the presiding Deity, similar to that in the famous Lord Renganathar temple in Srirangam, was found broken into pieces.
After several earlier attempts, last April the residents set out to restore the temple to its past glory. The estimated cost of Rs one crore will be collected through donations from devotees. As a first step, the refurbished 4.5-ton granite idol of the presiding deity, Lord Aathi Nayaga Perumal, sculpted at Okkarai village near here, was installed at the sanctum sanctorum on Wednesday.