P. K. Sekarbabu, the esteemed Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments, recently inaugurated a thoughtful new initiative designed to re-purpose an abundance of cotton dhotis and saris from prominent temples. This scheme aims to distribute these sacred garments to smaller, local shrines and ‘one-time puja’ temples, ensuring they continue to serve a devotional purpose.
During the launch event at Thiruveleeswarar Temple in Padi, Minister Sekarbabu highlighted the practical challenges faced by larger temples due to the sheer volume of offerings from devotees. He explained that while these temples receive a vast number of dhotis and saris for their deities, storing the surplus has become increasingly difficult. This new program provides a meaningful solution, allowing these beautiful ‘vasthrams’ to be respectfully utilized in smaller community temples.
As an initial step, the Chennai region has already seen 119 smaller temples receive these dedicated garments for their idols, marking a positive beginning for the benevolent scheme, according to an official press release.