A 160-ft Murugan statue to be installed at Marudhamalai, says Minister P.K. Sekar Babu

Tallest Murugan statue in Asia to be installed at Marudhamalai, with major renovations underway in Tamil Nadu temples.

A 160-feet-high statue of Lord Murugan, made of stone, will be installed at Marudhamalai, announced Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister P.K. Sekar Babu on Monday. A team of experts would soon inspect the site, he added. This would be the tallest Murugan statue in Asia.

Speaking to reporters after inspecting the Marudhamalai temple, the Minister highlighted the State government’s focus on temples, particularly Murugan temples. Since the government took office, consecration ceremonies had been conducted in over 2,400 temples, with a significant number of these being Murugan temples. Notably, the consecration ceremony at the Palani Murugan Temple was conducted in Tamil.

Mr. Sekar Babu said the government’s scheme to facilitate senior citizens (aged 60 to 70) to visit the six Murugan temples had benefitted 1,062 people so far. The initiative included transportation and accommodation facilities.

Major renovation works were under way in seven prominent Murugan temples across Tamil Nadu. At the Arulmigu Subramaniaswamy Temple in Tiruchendur, renovation work costing ₹400 crore was progressing, with HCL contributing ₹200 crore. About 60% of the work had been completed. Of the 23 works proposed under this project, 16 had been completed.

Similarly, at the Palani Dandayudhapani Swamy Temple, the first phase of renovation, costing ₹99 crore, was ongoing. The second phase involved acquiring 58 acres at an estimated cost of ₹50 crore. The overall renovation plan for Palani was estimated at ₹108 crore, and work was expected to commence within this year.

The Tiruttani Murugan Temple was undergoing renovation worth ₹183 crore, with works worth ₹83 crore currently under way. Projects worth another ₹100 crore were set to begin by the end of next month.

At the Marudhamalai Subramaniaswamy Temple, the first phase of renovation costing ₹6.5 crore had been completed, with the consecration ceremony scheduled for April. In the second phase, facilities like an annadhanam hall and crown donation mandapam would be developed at ₹11 crore. A third phase, with an estimated budget of ₹23 crore, was also planned.