Tamil Nadu begins renovation of nine ancient temples

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Friday inaugurated the renovation works of nine ancient temples in Tamil Nadu, each dating back over 1,000 years. The works, carried out under the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department, were launched through video conference from the State Secretariat.

The renovation of these temples will be executed at a cost of ₹32.53 crore. The temples identified for restoration include:

1, Sathyavakeeswarar Temple, Tirunelveli

2, Kamatchi Amman Temple, Villupuram

3, Kailasanathaswami Temple, Tirunelveli

4, Uthira Ranganathaswami Temple, Vellore

5, Kalamegaperummal Temple, Madurai

6, Thirunageswaramudaiyar Temple, Virudhunagar

7, Puthirakameswarar Temple, Tiruvannamalai

8, Iravatheeswarar & Azhageswarar Temple, Krishnagiri

9, Jenagai Narayanaperumal Temple, Madurai

According to an official release, 714 temples in Tamil Nadu have been identified as being over 1,000 years old. Since 2022-23, the State government has allocated ₹425 crore towards temple conservation and heritage preservation. So far, 352 temples have been taken up for renovation, with works amounting to ₹571.55 crore through contributions from the government, donors, and the HR&CE Department. Renovation has already been completed in 65 of these temples.

This large-scale initiative reflects the government’s commitment to safeguarding Tamil Nadu’s ancient cultural and architectural heritage, ensuring that these historic temples continue to stand as living symbols of tradition for generations to come.