CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has temporarily restrained the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department from carrying out the works for reconstructing a mandapam, of a 100-year-old temple in Kancheepuram, which is stated to be not in accordance with the principles of Vastu. The court also sought the authorities to submit the proof to show their claim that the mandapam is inconsonant with Vastu.
Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy passed the interim order recently on the petitions filed by S Vasantha and V Shanmugavel seeking to restrain the authorities from expanding the compound wall of the Chintamani Vinayagar Vagaiyara Arulmigu Subramanian Swamy temple abutting their house.
“The temple is said to have been in existence for more than 100 years. Suddenly it is stated that it is not in accordance with Vastu and the mandapam is irregular. On a perusal of the photographs of the temple before demolition, the action of demolition simply seems to be unconscionable,” the judge said in the order.
He added that the mandapam seems perfect to the naked eye. The judge noted that the heritage committee has granted permission for the reconstruction of the temple mandapam based on a report filed by the authorities concerned for demolishing the entire structure and reconstructing it by using the same structural stones.
Pointing out that the failure of the government advocate to produce the report filed before the heritage committee, the judge stayed the construction works until the report is filed. He also ordered the authorities to file an affidavit with reference to the age of the temple.