In Veerasozhapuram, a 1,500-year-old Amman shrine in a Lord Shiva temple collapsed during heavy rainfall yesterday, raising concerns among locals about the preservation of heritage temples. It is alleged that sand sacks had been placed on the deities, including Amman and Lord Shiva, and alleged that the temple property had been plundered.
நேற்று பெய்த மழையில் வீரசோழபுரம் அம்மன் சன்னதி இடிந்து விழுந்தது. 1500 வருடங்களுக்கு பழைமையானது.
கோவில் இருந்தால்தானே கோவிலுடைய சொத்து இருக்கும். கோவிலையே அழித்துவிட்டால்!!!
எத்தனை அழகிய கோவில்களை அழித்துவிட்டனர், அழித்துக் கொண்டிருக்கின்றனர்.
அம்மன் மீதும் சிவபெருமான்… pic.twitter.com/G6JqNqaAwL
— Rangarajan Narasimhan (@OurTemples) October 22, 2025
The Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department has not yet issued an official statement regarding the incident.
The temple in Veeracholapuram, reportedly built by King Rajendra Chola, originally housed 78 intricately carved statues, many of which have gone missing over time. Experts and locals say recreating such sculptures with modern skill levels is extremely difficult, if not impossible.
Built by Rajendra Chola I and dedicated to Nagareeswaramudaiya Nayanar, the temple has long stood as a testament to the grandeur of Chola architecture and devotion. Inscriptions reveal that during the reign of Kulothunga Chola I, vast tracts of land were endowed to support temple rituals and upkeep. Centuries later, Kulasekara Pandiyan continued this legacy with further donations, underscoring the temple’s enduring spiritual and cultural significance across dynasties.
The Amman shrine of the Veera Cholapuram temple tragically collapsed yesterday following heavy rains. This temple, originally constructed by Rajendra Chola I, was dedicated to Nagareeswaramudaiya Nayanar and stands as one of the significant Chola-period monuments in the region.… https://t.co/L9OkuuRVnW
— 𑀓𑀺𑀭𑀼𑀱𑁆𑀡𑀷𑁆 🇮🇳 (@tskrishnan) October 22, 2025
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