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Kancheepuram

From the Bhakti List Archives

bam • February 28, 1996 


I just got back from India a week back. It was a good trip.
I had the oppurtunity of visiting Tirupati, Kancheepuram
and Udupi.

Just before I left there was a major discussion about the 
not so well to do temples and how they badly needed to be
taken care of. I'm an under the assumption that Kancheepuram
Varadaraja temple is not one among them. But from what I saw
I was really disturbed. The entire outerwall of the most
sacred temple is used as a toilet. People after peeling the
peanuts throw them inside the temple itself. There are many
more things like this.

Why isn't that anybody takes notice of this and tries to do
something. This does'nt require money, just maintanance by
volenteers. If Ramanuja or Kanchipurna had witnessed the
present state, I wonder what their reaction would have been. 
On the contrary, the Kamatchi Amman Koil, is very well kept,
with freshly painted compound walls etc. It is a pity to note
that the place from where Srivaishnavism took off, is in such
a state.

Just my ramblings after seeing that most beautiful temple in
such a state.

Murli Balu