Madambakkam town panchayat, near Tambaram, consists of a few villages, which include Noothancheri and Paduvancheri, where farmers and low-ranked government staff make up the majority. In many sections of this region, paddy fields stretch away.
The lives of many of its residents are centred around the Chola-era Dhenupureeswarar Shiva temple, which is located in the main locality, Madambakkam. So, it is not surprising that the residents have come together and built a car for the temple, at a cost of Rs. 45 lakh. The 37-feet-tall temple car, which weighs 23 tonnes, is the first one built for the temple since the 19th century when the previous temple car was damaged in floods, residents say. A pilot run of the temple car was carried out on May 29 in the neighbourhood with many residents of the region taking part in it. The 10-day annual Bhamvottsavam function will end on June 5 with the temple car going through many streets.
“To have a temple car was a dream of residents for decades. It would be a topic at every gram sabha meeting. Finally, the dream has come true,” says 63-year-old V. Bajendra Babu, a long-time resident of Madambakkam.
Babu was one of the ten members of a core committee that monitored the work of building the temple car. Five years ago, the idea of a constructing temple car took concrete shape at a gram sabha meeting in Madambakkam. Following this, residents formed various teams, each consisting of around six residents, to attend to the various works relating to the making of teh temple car. Mobilising funds for the project and getting the necessary permission from the ASI, Chennai Circle, and the HR&CE remained their biggest challenges.
“As the temple car is a movable assert and does not affect the monument (temple), residents got the nod from the government agencies. It’s a collective effort of the residents,” said executive officer of the temple, P. Kolangi. “We had no idea about the design features of a temple car. We learnt several things along the way,” says Manikandan, a temple sculptor from Madambakkam. Residents made generous contributions towards the project, sponsoring parts of the car. Donations ranged from Rs. 100 to a few lakh rupees.
The Core Committee also visited various temples, including those in Vadapalani, Tiruvottiyur, Thiruporur, Virudachalam near Tiruchy, to learn about temple car designs. Temple sculptors (Sabathis) from Perambalur district were roped in.