Tamil Nadu to renovate house used by Ramalinga Adigalar in city

“Gold jewels offered by devotees are lying idle in the temples for 10 years and the jewels, except the jewels that are useful for the deities, would be melted. The jewels used on the deities would be preserved and would be kept in temple records. The smaller and the broken jewels would be sent to the Union government’s gold refinery in Mumbai,” said the Minister, while addressing reporters in Chennai.

The Minister, along with officials of HR and CE, visited the house in which Ramalinga Adigalar lived in Chennai and inspected it. After the inspection, the Minister told the reporters that the house in which Ramalinga Adigalar lived will be renovated.

When asked about the process of melting gold jewels donated to temples, the Minister replied that the gold jewels would be converted into gold biscuits and would be kept as gold bonds from which interests will be obtained and will be used for temple works and festivals. For the purpose of transparency in handling gold jewels, the state has been divided into three zones, Chennai, Tiruchy and Madurai and three Judges have been appointed in-charge of the zones.

The Minister also said that the practice of melting gold jewels has been in place in the state since 1977 and the practice is followed even in Tirupathi. There will not be any even minor pilferage in the entire process, assured the Minister.