Devotees have raised alarm after alleged dumping of beef waste and bone pieces in and around the premises of the Vasiswarar Temple at Tiruppachur in Tiruvallur district near Chennai. They say the repeated acts are hurting religious sentiments and disturbing the sanctity of the historic shrine.
The 1,800-year-old temple, spread across about four acres, is described as one of the revered Thondai Nadu temples praised by the Saivite saints Appar, Sundarar and Sambandar. The presiding deity Vasiswarar is worshipped as a swayambhu lingam, and local tradition also refers to the shrine as “Perumal Vinai Theertha Eswarar,” linked to a belief that Vishnu worshipped Shiva here to atone for sin.
According to devotees, unidentified persons have been dumping meat waste along the temple’s compound wall. Stray dogs are said to drag the scraps into the temple premises, leaving the area unclean and creating an unpleasant experience for worshippers.
Residents and devotees also allege that waste is being thrown inside the compound wall of a 2.15-acre plot owned by the temple, located about one kilometre away and currently unused. They claim some people involved in the beef trade are discarding leftovers there, leading to a strong stench and serious sanitation concerns in the locality.
