The Chandrasekara Swamy temple, believed to be 1,200 years old, in New Gummidipoondi near Chennai, is likely to hog the limelight on the lines of Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram.
The temple has evoked the curiosity of devotees and authorities following reports of possible presence of treasure in a secret chamber.
Officials from the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department, which controls the temple, have decided to open the six-foot wide, 15-foot-long secret tunnel which might house the treasure. The vault may be opened on November 16.
The temple, a classic example of Pandya and Chola architectural styles, has stone inscriptions dating back to 1033 A.D and houses shrines of Lord Shiva and Ambal Deivanayagi, apart from Vinayaka, and Muruga with both his consorts.
Mr. Padmanabhan, assistant commissioner, HR&CE department, said: “The suspicion arose when the renovation work in view of the temple’s kumbhabhishekam, slated for December 1, was taken up at the temple,” he said.
A retired official Chinnarajan noticed the stone room near the Murugan shrine and reported it to the tahsildar who then alerted the HR&CE officials.