Source: The Hindu
TIRUVANNAMALAI, INDIA, April 3, 2002: With the kumbabhishekam, or rededication blessing, of the Sri Arunachaleswara Temple scheduled for June 27, a major portion of the renovation of the sannadhis (structures housing the individual deities), the gopurams (entrance towers) and the Ayirankal Mandapam (1000-pillared hall) has been completed. The kumbabhishekam, to be performed after a gap of 26 years, will follow the the four-year long renovation project. For the first time, panchavarnam (five-color painting) has been done for all the sannadhis. A Narpathinaalu Kal Mandapam (44-pillared hall) is being constructed in front of the eastern gopuram to replace the Padhinaru Kal Mandapam (16-pillared hall), destroyed in a fire five years ago. The entire work is expected to be completed in another 15 days, according to P Jayaraman, executive officer of the temple.