Chennai, April 16(BPNS)

Thanjavur Big temple, Brihadeeswar temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram in Ariyalur district and the Kailsanathar temple at Kancheepuram are the living monuments that are likely to be shut from Friday till May 15 following Covid surge in Tamil Nadu.

While there will be poojas at the temple’s which are classified as monuments by the Archeolgical Survey of India(ASI), devotees will not be allowed “Dharshan”.

The group of monuments at Mamalapuram and Fort Museum in Chennai will be closed from Friday till May 15. It may be noted that Tamil Nadu has 411 ASI monuments maintained by the Chennai and Trichy circle of the department and 80 among these are living monuments.

ASI sources said that all ticketed and non ticketed monuments will be closed from Friday. The collection from the ticketed monuments at Mamalapuram has dropped drastically since the second wave of the pandemic has hit the state.

The World heritage site in  Chennai received hardly 1000 visitors on Saturdays and Sundays while on holidays more than 7000 people visit the site.

ASI run monuments were closed during March,2020 following the Covid surge and some were opened for public in September and others in December 2020.