Sri
Lakshmi Narayani Temple near Vellore, Tamilnadu
Images from sripuram.org
Sripuram, Sri Lakshmi Narayani temple
is a temple dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi and is located at Thirumalaikkodi
town near Vellore. I am providing information about the temple from
various media sources.
I am providing information about
the temple from various media sources.
From The Hindu, Saturday, Aug 25,
2007
hindu.com/
The Sri Lakshmi Narayani Temple located
in 'Sripuram' (spiritual town) in Thirumalaikkodi, about seven km from
Vellore, was consecrated by Sri Sakthi Amma, head of the Sri Narayani Peedam,
Thirumalaikkodi, on Friday August 24, 2007.
It is a unique temple whose 'Vimanam'
and 'Ardha Mandapam' have been coated with gold both in the interior and
exterior. Twelve layers of gold foils have been pasted on copper sheets
embossed with the designs of Gods and fixed on the walls. One-and-a-half
tonnes of gold has gone into the design of the Sri Lakshmi Narayani Temple,
which has been built at a cost of Rs.300 crore.
The temple has been designed in such
a way that visitors can reach the golden temple only after going through
a star-shaped pathway, which has the messages from the Vedas on both sides.
From Indian Express, Chennai, August
21, 2007
indianexpress.com/
A Mahalakshmi temple called 'Sripuram'
and made of more than a tonne of pure gold will glitter and gleam under
the sun on August 24 when it is unveiled for consecration by the Sri Narayani
Peetam headed by a 31-year-old godman who calls himself Narayani Amma.
Devotees hail the temple as 'one of the wonders of the world' and say that
it is the only temple covered fully with gold.
More than 400 gold and coppersmiths
from the Thirupathi Thirumala Devasthanam are said to have worked for six
years to craft the Rs 600-crore gold temple located on 55,000 sq ft of
land on a 100-acre salubrious stretch in Malaikodi, about 6 km from Vellore
in north Tamil Nadu. First the coppersmiths set to work creating a copper
base on the temple structure with engravings and etchings before the gold,
beaten into nine layers of foils, was draped around it. The sanctum sanctorum
will hold the deity of Mahalakshmi made of stone granite, but covered with
gold kavacham (adornments).
"The gold sheets have been laid out
in such a manner that it would cost more to rip it off than purchase the
gold,” said a top Vellore district official.
From rediff NEWS, August 24, 2007
rediff.com/
A 31-year old 'godman' has
built a Rs300-crore 'golden temple' at Sripuram near Vellore in Tamil Nadu.
With his devotees spread across the globe and his foundation registered
in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, funds kept flowing
in for the project launched in 2001.
More than 800 craftsmen, including
those working for Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam, worked day and night for
six years to make the godman's dream realise. About 1.5 tonne of gold was
purchased for the project through Minerals and Metal Trading Corporation
in Chennai after getting clearance from the Reserve Bank of India, he said.
The lighting is arranged in such
a way that the temple glitters even during night. With intricate
carvings and sculptures, the entire structure, except the walking space,
has been plated with gold. It has a rajagopuram, resembling the Tirupati
temple, with 36 pillars around. Even the central chandelier is made of
gold.
Explaining the concept behind Sripuram,
he said, "A mother administers sugar-coated pill to the child to heal.
It's physical ailment. Likewise, I am offering this golden temple to people
to impart wisdom. This golden temple is just a tool to attract the world's
attention."
People can reach the temple only
through a star-shaped pathway, laid to a distance of 1.5 km. On either
side of the pathway, the messages of 'Amma' and quotes from Bhagavad Gita,
Bible and Quran will be displayed. Though the people's focus will be on
the temple in gold, when they leave they cannot go without taking some
messages and gaining some wisdom, he said.
"Some may ask why a golden temple
for the mankind and why not a hospital? But in Sripuram, we bring about
a change in people through messages like the nobleness of human birth and
the need to serve the humanity. This will motivate them to built lakhs
of hospitals across the globe," he said. The Narayani Peedam has a school,
hospital and college on its own. It has also been carrying out charitable
activities in Vellore and nearby districts to the tune of Rs 50 crore.
Ashtalakshmi temple, Besant Nagar, Chennai
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