The idols of Sage Agasthiyar and Goddess Lopamudra at the Agasthiyar Falls at Papanasam, which were washed away by floods recently is set to be reinstated soon, announced Mr. Ravikumar who had installed the earlier idols.
The Agasthiyar Falls is located in the Western Ghats close to Papansam Lower where River Tamiraparani originates. The Kalyana Theertham near the falls is of spiritual significance. Earlier, pictures and videos started doing the rounds on social media that the idols of Sage Agasthiyar and his consort Lopamudra were damaged by miscreants and that the falls is being diverted.
Later, District Forest Officer Gautam clarified that the idols were damaged in January due to the floods caused by torrential rains. Both the idols got washed away in that flood. Due to the COVID and lockdown, people were not being allowed to visit the falls which led to rumours spreading that the two idols were broken by miscreants. He said that the water from the falls cannot be diverted and the water is flowing through the falls undisturbed.
The two damaged idols will now be replaced by Dr. Ravikumar who had installed the earlier idols in October 2012. He had also built a mandapam there out of his own expense with the permission of HR&CE department. He had said that as soon as he got to know about the idols getting washed away in the floods, he immediately got permission from HR&CE department to install new idols.
The new idols are being carved by Sthapati Santhanakrishnan from Chennai. The new Agasthiyar idol would by 3 feet high and the Lopamudra idol would be 2.75 feet high which will be installed post the lockdown and other restrictions.
(With inputs from Dinamalar)
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