The road at Thiru Eengoimalai hillock temple in Tiruchi was laid to help take the deities in view of the kumbhabhishekam.
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Special Arrangement

Devotees visiting the Sri Maragadachaleswarar Temple at Thiru Eengoimalai near Musiri in Tiruchi district can look forward to a smoother climb as the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department will soon black top the newly formed road on the hillock.

Visitors to the temple, situated on the north bank of the Cauvery, have long been demanding the construction of an approach road on the hillock. The temple, a padal petra sthalam, could be reached after a steep climb of about 500 stone steps. Devotees were facing difficulties as the steps were not uniform and were broken in many places.

Recently, a kutcha road was formed on the hillock ahead of the kumbabishekam of the temple held a few months ago with the support of local people. Although the road was essentially formed to carry the deities and has not been officially thrown open to the public, many devotees travelling by cars and two-wheelers go take the road. Visitors to the temple have now called for proper development of the road.

“A large of the devotees from Musiri, Thottiyam, Thuraiyur, Kulithalai and other places visit the temple regularly. In a welcome move, a 1.5 km-long road has been formed to reach the temple by vehicles. We hope that the kutcha road would be blacktopped soon. This will be of big help to devotees, especially women and senior citizens,” said N. Saravanan, a resident of Thuraiyur.

Sources in the HR&CE Department said that the kutcha road was formed with the support of donors in view of the temple kumbabishekam and the road would be developed further. “We are preparing estimates; a few modifications and corrections have been suggested by a professional agency. We will carry out the same and the road would be blacktopped soon,” a senior official of the department told The Hindu.