Ten days after the death of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, AIADMK councillor M Swaminathan has built a temple for the leader in Thanjavur.

M Swaminathan, (44), believes she is a goddess as she accomplished more than anyone else could in a lifetime. “The work for the temple began on December 7, 2016 and the work was over in a week. However, we are waiting for the district secretary to return from Chennai to inaugurate the temple,” he said.       

The temple was built at a cost of Rs 2 lakhs. “We have kept a big picture of Amma inside in which she is seen sitting on a big throne. Photos of Annadurai and MGR are also there,” he said.

Devotees will also be taken down memory lane as pictures of Jayalalithaa from her childhood to her last days are put up on the temple’s exterior walls.  Swaminathan said they also have plans to erect a statue of Jayalalithaa.

“We have ordered a statue of Amma and will be putting it up at the temple on February 24 which is her birthday. We will also light a lamp in memory of Amma inside the temple,” he said.

Swaminathan has also decided to provide free drinking water facility inside the temple all day. “We will be providing free drinking water 24x7 and also free food on the birth and death anniversaries of Annadurai, MGR and Jayalalithaa as Amma had served poor people all her life,” he said.

Other than this, the temple will also be organising free health check-ups in Thanjavur, he said.