more-in With the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court allowing owners to clear their ware from their shops, Pudu Mandapam opposite the east tower of Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple here was opened on Saturday, after remaining locked for 45 days. In the wake of a fire that broke out on February 2 at the eastern wing of the temple, citing absence of easy exits and fire extinguishers, the Pudu Mandapam was closed as a precautionary measure by the temple authorities and officials of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department. They were also of the view that the presence of shops led to damage of sculptures at the ancient hall. Justice V. Bharathidasan, on Friday, directed the temple authorities to open the Pudu Mandapam complex after hearing petitions from the shopkeepers. G. Muthupandi, president of Pudu Mandapam Traders and Tailors’ Association, said the shop owners felt happy and nostalgic on entering the Pudu Mandapam. “We cleared the dust and perishable items from our shops,” he said. Pudu Mandapam shops are the age-old supplier of all the paraphernalia related to the annual Chithirai festival in Madurai. “We remained a part of the celebrations every year. We already lost a good business during Sivarathiri festival. We hope we are allowed to resume our business soon,” he said. The traders have sought an alternative place to continue their business. Mr. Muthupandi said the fate of over 315 shop owners hangs in the balance and their livelihood depended on the judgement on March 22.

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