“Construction activity to build shops close to Tiruvannamalai Arunachaleswarar temple raises concerns”, The Commune Mag, November 2, 2023:

“In an official document released by the Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department, a significant development has been disclosed concerning the Arulmigu Arunachaleswarar Temple located in Tiruvannamalai District in Tamil Nadu. The HR&CE department has issued an administrative permission order for the construction of shops on a section of land owned by the temple in front of the East Gopuram.

This decision has garnered attention and raises questions regarding its implications for the heritage and sanctity of the temple. The order, dated 14 September 2023, references various government notifications and correspondences, shedding light on the background and context of this decision.

It is noteworthy that the Minister for Hindu Religious Endowments Department, Sekar Babu, announced in the Legislative Assembly on 19 April 2023 during discussions on the grant demand for the fiscal year 2023-2024. This announcement pertained to “Notification No:223,” which outlined plans for constructing shops at an estimated cost of ₹5.99 crores in the area in front of the Rajagopuram, a part of the land owned by the Arunachaleswarar Temple…..”

Read the full article at Thecommunemag.com