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| Thursday, 16 September 2004 |
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by P. Krishnaswamy The annual 'Brammothsavam' festival of the Mutuwal Sri Venkateshwara Maha Vishnu Devasthanam commences today and concludes on September 24 after the water-cutting ceremony. The day long chariot festival is on September 23 (Thursday) and the procession will go along Madampitiya Road, Aluthmawatha Road, Central Road, Vystwyke Road and Modera Street. This was disclosed at a media conference held by the temple trustees last week at the temple premises. The temple which is a Sri Lankan replica of India's most famous Thirupathy Sri Venkatachalapathy shrine, in South India, was built in January 2002 after four years' labour, engaging the services of 15 sculptors/architects of the Thirupathy Devasthanam and over 100 local construction workers who worked even on holidays without any break. The temple stands magnificently on a land area of 30,000 sq.feet with 36 deities within with Lord Sri Venkateshwara as the presiding deity. All deities are exquisitely designed and sculptured by master sculptors of the Thirupathy Devsthanam. An interesting episode that was recalled at the media conference was that the very next day after the statue of Sri Venkateswara was brought from India to the temple site for consecration, the ceasefire was announced heralding peace in the country. The temple stands overlooking the vast expanse of the Indian Ocean and the Mutuwal estuary in a serene and picturesque atmosphere and close to two other famous Hindu temples, the Mutuwal Kali temple and the Siva temple. The spectacular temple is the result of the untiring and zealous quest of business magnate K. Doraisamy Chettiar who together with his sons Gunaseelan, Venkateshwaran, Vigneswaran and another businessman K.T.M. Karuppiah Pillai are now in the Temple Trust. The business community and devotees generously contributed towards the temple project, it was said. The temple trust is also engaged in several humanitarian and social welfare activities and also envisages educational projects including the construction of a school and a massive library. Financial assistance for the development of schools has been extended to Hindu College and assistance for St. John's College and a home for the aged is under consideration, it was said. |
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