Temple tank’s 80-year wait ends, restored for Maha Deepam

Tiruvannamalai's Arunachaleswarar temple tank, Ayyankulam, reopened after 80 yrs. Minister E.V. Velu & Collector B. Murugesh inaugurated the restored tank. Thuimai Arunai NGO restored the tank, which covers 300 ft. & has 30 granite stairs on each side. Silt deposits were removed & stormwater drains & inlets repaired. Compound wall & staircases were also readied. Tank has been in existence since 1860 & last rejuvenated 80 yrs ago by Puducherry residents.

After more than 80 years since last cleaned, the tank in Arunachaleswarar temple, Tiruvannamalai town, was rejuvenated on Saturday and reopened for the public on the occasion of the Maha Deepam.

Minister for Public Works and Highways E.V. Velu, who was accompanied by Collector B. Murugesh, inaugurated the restored tank. Colloquially known as Ayyankulam or Ayyan Theerthavari Kulam, the tank, which is maintained by Tiruvannamalai municipality, has remained closed ever since four persons drowned in the tank in a stampede that broke out on the auspicious occasion of Mahodaya Amavasya in February 2016.

Following this, the tank was closed off by barricades and the gates have remained locked. During festivals, priests were allowed by the police to draw water from the tank to the temple that is maintained by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department.

“The tank was restored by Thuimai Arunai, an NGO, and handed over to the municipality that maintains the waterbody,” N. Dhakshanamurthy, Commissioner, Tiruvannamalai municipality, told The Hindu.

Spread over three acres on the temple premises, water in the Ayyankulam covers around 300 ft. in distance, with 30 granite stairs on each of its four sides. Municipal officials said the silt deposits in the tank were removed to a depth of 15 ft. Subsequently, the tank was deepened to the depth of the existing recharge well, which is located at the centre of the tank.

Thereafter, the clogged and damaged stormwater drains and inlets to the tank were also repaired to discharge excess rainwater in the town, especially around the temple, to the tank during monsoon. Broken staircases and damaged portions of the compound wall were also readied. 

As per records, the tank has been in existence since 1860. The tank was last rejuvenated nearly 80 years ago by a group of Puducherry residents.