Kovai man names charity hall in temple after DMK working president

The party man, who joined DMK last August, said that the hall built on Siva Subramaniar Temple premises on Podanur-Kurichi Road will be let out to the public free of cost. Assuring that the hall will not be used for any party event, he added, “The party will not try to influence the use of the hall and the temple committee will be managing and maintaining it.”

Christened as ‘Thalapathi MK Stalin Free Makkal Mandapam’ the hall was built at a cost of Rs 25 lakh. 

“The area has close to 2,500 houses and most of the residents are labourers. The nearest hall from this locality is 1.5 km away,” temple secretary T Chandiresan said. “Those halls charge a rent of more than Rs 15,000 per day and they can accommodate only 300 persons. The hall built in our temple can hold 500 persons at a time,” Chandiresan added. Son of a vessel vendor, Arumugapandi was a first generation graduate and businessman. “My father A Vasakam toiled hard to help me complete studies. I had undergone many hardships when young and I know the value of money. The marriage hall is my way of helping those in need,” he said. 

“Initially, he donated Rs 2.5 lakh for it. As our other sponsors were lukewarm to the venture, Arumugapandi came forward to complete the building,” recalled A Nagarajan, one of the temple functionaries. 

People of the locality tried to convince him to name the hall after his parents, but Arumugapandi had his way in naming it after Stalin.