TN govt to renovate, relaunch 'Archaka' training centres

Chennai, June 16 (IANS) Tamil Nadu's Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister P.K. Sekar Babu on Wednesday said that the six state-run Archaka (Hindu priest) training centres will be renovated and relaunched soon.Talking to journalists at Trichy after visiting the Rockfort Thayumanava Swamy temple, he said that training for archakas would be conducted under both Shaivite and Vaishnavite traditions."Anyone who wants to become an archaka would be given training. We are renovating the institutes and is preparing to relaunch them soon," Babu said. He also said that efforts are on for getting the UNESCO heritage tag for the Srirangam Ranganathaswamy Temple.The minister was visiting Rockfort Thayumanava Swamy temple and Ucchi Pilliyar Temple complex to study the possibilities of launching a rope car facility for senior citizens and disabled persons to access the shrine which is at a height of 272 foot.Babu said that modern technologies would be used to overcome the hurdles for the rope car project.
--IANS aal/vd