THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Plagued by infrastructure gaps despite being visited by hundreds of devotees daily, the ancient Janardhana Swamy Temple in Varkala is finally set for a major transformation.
The Tourism Department has launched a development project worth Rs 25 crore under the Swadeshi Darshan Scheme to improve basic facilities and enhance the overall pilgrim experience.
The Tourism Department has roped in Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society (ULCCS) to implement the project, which is expected to be completed by December. Visited by lakhs of pilgrims every year, the temple is a spiritual hub for rituals related to last rites. The adjoining Papansam beach is believed to have the power to absolve sins, and is a key destination for devotees performing Bali Tharpanam and other post-cremation rituals.
A senior official of the Tourism Department said that the project has been designed in such a manner meeting all the criteria of the scheme. “As per the norms, we have to complete the project within six months or else the Centre will cancel the funding. The preparatory work has been completed and the foundation work will be launched immediately. At present, the destination lacks basic infrastructure and being a renowned pilgrim site, pilgrims come from far off places. The project will help improve and fix the existing gaps in the pilgrim infrastructure,” said the official.
“A heritage street will be developed linking the temple and Papanasam Beach with entry points as part of the project. Besides this, a pilgrim facilitation centre will be set up with lockers so that those visiting the temple for rituals can keep their things safe. They can freshen up and change at the centre after performing the rituals at the beach,” the official added.
As part of the project an interpretation centre will be set up at the destination to showcase the salient features of Varkala and the ancient history of the temple, which is believed to be 2,000 years old. The ancient pond attached to the temple will be beautified and commercial space will be set up. “We are planning for a museum that will feature videos and content relating to the history of the destination,” said the official.