Petition S.Lanka Pres. Behalf of Damaged Mandirs

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> THIRUKETHEESWARAM TEMPLE RESTORATION SOCIETY

>

 

> "sivamitthiran"

> <sivamitthiran>

> Tue May 21, 2002 10:12 pm

> Army still occupying the

> Ancient most sacred Hindu Temples in Srilanka

 

> THIRUKETHEESWARAM TEMPLE RESTORATION SOCIETY

>

>

> Her Excellency Chandrika Bandaranaike

> Kumaratunga President of the

> Republic of SriLanka

>

> Your Excellency,

>

> DAMAGE TO THIRUKETHEESWARAM TEMPLE

> MANNAR DISTRICT, SRI LANKA

>

> Hindus of Sri Lanka, India and rest of

> the world bring to your

> attention, with great

> sorrow and shock of the untold damages

> that have been done to the

> ancient and Historic Temple of

> Thiruketheeswaram by the Srilankan

> Army.

>

> Not only damage had been caused to the

> Temple fabric but also

> desecrating it in the most shameful way.

> The Temple properties have

> all

> been plundered and pillaged. The

> Priests, their assistants, other

> employees and resident in the vicinity

> of Thiruketheeswaram and

> Manthai village have been terrorised and

> forcibly driven away from

> their homes. The Pilgrims Rests and the

> residences of Trustees have

> been destroyed making them totally

> uninhabitable. In short, it was

> simply a scorched earth' operation which

> even the Nazi troops did not

> do, under Hitler — the Nazi Dictator !

>

> Most heinous & unforgivable part of the

> vandalism is the

> disfigurement & the gouging of the THIRD

> EYE of the Icon Somaskanda.

> (Lord Siva) Details of this awful

> vandalism and destruction were

> brought to the notice of the then

> Government by the Trustees. Nothing

> was done Your Excellency this great

> Temple was of ancient origin

> rebuilt by the Chola Emperors in the 9th

> & 10th Centuries.

> It was destroyed by the

> Portugueseinvaders. The Restoration had to

> await Independence & began in 1948 after

> Independence. Hindus had

> spent about twenty million rupees for

> the first phase of the

> restoration work. Two more phases remain

> to be completed. I might add

> that generous assistance was given by

> the Government of Tamil Nadu

> under the late Chief Minister Hon. M.G.

> Ramachandran & also (Hon.

> Karunanithi, the previous Chief Minister

> towards the cause. Also the

> Andhra Pradesh Government donated

> Rs. 1,00,000/= and similarly the

> Pondicheri Government. The former

> President

> of Sri Lanka. Apart from these Hindus of

> Sri Lanka and overseas had

> liberally contributed towards the worthy

> cause. Alas ! the

> meritorious work & sacrifices of the

> Hindus of Sri Lanka & the

> world over have bee1i virtually

> decimated by the action of the Army

> under the UNP administration.

>

> This is an ancient and most venerated

> temple in Srilanka belonging to

> pre—historic

> era. Thiruketheeswaram Temple is

> situated in the Mannar District & is

> the most sacred place of Pilgrimage of

> the Hindus in Srilanka. Maha

> Sivarathiri is the most important one

> day annual festival, about 2 1/2

> lakhs of Pilgrims attend the festival.

> The Maha Sivarathri is a Public

> holiday. The visual representation of

> the Formless Absolute in

> manifest

> Anthromorphic Forms in indispensable

> part of Temple worship. In this

> process the most important

> representation is Lord Siva the family

> group of SOMASKANDA. i.e Siva with His

> Consort UMA & their Son SKANDA.

>

> The enclosed photo depicts the figure of

> Somaskanda when it was in the

> process of being cast. It is 4 1/2 ft.

> in height, exquisite and most

> expressive in its serenity & Majestic

> Poise. It was made in metal

> composed of Copper, Brass & Tin Lead

> with liberal quantities of Gold

> and Silver donatedby Devotees in the

> year 1976 at a cost of

> Rs. 2,000,000/=. The third eye of the

> Icon was implanted in Gold.,

> similarly the artistic heavy

> ornamentation round the neck & arms were

> too implanted in Gold. This Gold has

> beer. violently scooped out &

> removed by the vandals.It is the most

> cruel & unbearable act of

> vandalism that has left a deep wound in

> the religious feelings of the

> Hindu Public which is difficult to heal.

>

> This admirable Icon fascinated the

> hearts of thousands of devotees

> evoking the most piety. My eyes were

> filled with tears when I penned

> the draft: of this petition.

>

> Your Excellency, Hindus & Buddhists are

> members of the same family of

> Religions. Both religions have

> contributed for the good of the

> Humanity.

> Therefore, we earnestly request you that

> places of worship of Hindus

> in

> Srilanka should be fully protected in

> the future and be saved from

> similar desecration, damage and plunder.

> In respect of the Thiruketheeswaram

> Temple we earnestly request you

> to:-

> I) Get the Army to vacate the Temple &

> it's surroundings and to make

> this

> Temple & the surroundings out of bounds

> for the Army. To enable the

> Priests & their assistants & other staff

> of the Temple & residents of

> Thiruketheeswaram & Manthai villages to

> return to their homes without

> fear.

> 2) Get the destroyed/damaged buildings,

> madams etc rebuilt or

> repaired as the case may be , out of a

> liberal compensation package.

> The estimated cost by the society is

> around Rs. 20 Million. The cost

> of restoration may be estimated by the

> Government authorities.

>

> Thanks to:

>

> THIRUKETHEESWARAM TEMPLE RESTORATION

> SOCIETY

> Chairman: Madras Branch

> Board of Trustees, No. 20,

> Papanasamsivan Salai,

> V. Kailasa Pillai, F.C.A. Santhome,

> Madras –600004.

> Tel.548024 or 546238 Tel: 847687

>

> John Keels Ltd,

> 130, Glennie Street,

> P.O. Box 76

> Colombo 2. Sri Lanka,

> Tel: 92712

>

> Secretary:

> Mr, R.Namasivayam

>

>