A complaint has been raised regarding damage to a historical sculpture of Rani Mangammal located at the Nagara Mandapam in front of the sanctum at the Meenakshi Amman Temple.
A complaint has been raised regarding damage to a historical sculpture of Rani Mangammal located at the Nagara Mandapam in front of the sanctum at the Meenakshi Amman Temple.The statue of the 17th-century queen-regent, who governed the Madurai kingdom following the deaths of her husband Chokkanatha Nayak and her son Rangakrishna Muthuveerappa Nayak, has reportedly been subjected to damage during recent maintenance or handling by workers. The nature of the damage has been described as insensitive to the cultural and historical significance of the figure.
Rani Mangammal had assumed the responsibility of administering the Madurai kingdom after the demise of her husband and son, serving as regent until her grandson Vijayaranga Chokkanatha came of age.
Visuals of the damaged sculpture were shared on social media, drawing concern and criticism from several quarters.
Rani Mangammal shouldered the weight of the Madurai kingdom after the demise of her husband Chokkanatha Nayak and her son Rangakrishna Muthuveerappa Nayak, serving as regent until her grandson Vijayaranga Chokkanatha came of age.
After three centuries, she is once again… pic.twitter.com/dfr2aeXPpo
— 𑀓𑀺𑀭𑀼𑀱𑁆𑀡𑀷𑁆 🇮🇳 (@tskrishnan) April 20, 2026
An activist and devout Hindu, Ramakrishnan stated that he has formally taken up the matter with temple authorities, urging immediate restoration and better preservation measures. In parallel, a representation has also been sent via email to the temple administration, seeking protection of the statue and accountability for the reported mishandling.
மதுரை ஸ்ரீ மீனாட்சி அம்மன் சன்னதி முன் உள்ள நகரா மண்டபத்தில் உள்ள இராணிமங்கம்மாள் திருவுருவ சிலை . பாதுகாக்க கோரி திருக்கோயில் நிர்வாகத்திற்கு மின் அஞ்சல் அனுப்பி உள்ளோம் . @SundarCOffl @ptrmadurai @SellurKRajuoffl @EPSTamilNadu @NainarBJP @tnhrcedept PLEASE pic.twitter.com/CHz9NIWPXR
— Ramakrishnan E (@Ramakrishnanasv) April 19, 2026
This is the condition of the temple that is under the ‘watch’ of incumbent Madurai Central DMK MLA PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan who was also a Minister in the DMK govt.
In addition to this, his mother Rukmani Palanivel Rajan serves as the Chairperson of the temple’s board of trustees. Before that, she had served as a trustee of the Meenakshi Amman Temple between 2006 and 2011.
My mother, Rukmani Palanivel Rajan, who served as a Trustee of the Meenakshi Amman Temple 2006-2011, has now been appointed Chairperson of the Trustees. I’m grateful to the Hon’ble CM @mkstalin because she has become the first woman Chair of the temple where the Goddess reigns… pic.twitter.com/Wb680QmzIW
— Dr P Thiaga Rajan (PTR) (@ptrmadurai) January 24, 2024
Under his watch as Madurai Central MLA, and with his mother heading the temple board, a priceless 17th-century sculpture of Rani Mangammal has been damaged through sheer negligence. All his chest-thumping claims of efficiency and cultural pride stand exposed as empty rhetoric. A leader who cannot protect the living legacy of Tamil Nadu’s own queen-regent has no right to lecture others on administration. PTR stands unfit for the responsibility he so eagerly claims.
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