Manakula Vinayagar Temple, Hindu temple in Puducherry, India.
Manakula Vinayagar is a Hindu temple in Puducherry, India, located a few steps from the beachfront promenade and marked by a tall gateway tower decorated with colorful sculptures. Inside, corridors lead around several shrines whose walls are painted with depictions of deities and scenes from ancient narratives.
The temple stood before the arrival of the French in 1666 and was expanded several times over the centuries. The current tower facade dates from the 20th century and replaced older structures.
The place takes its name from a sandy pond that once existed nearby and has since disappeared. Worshippers bring offerings before the deity's statue and then walk clockwise through the corridors, pausing at each shrine.
Visitors must remove their shoes before entering and can leave them in racks provided at the entrance. The temple opens early in the morning and closes at midday before reopening in the evening.
An elephant named Lakshmi lives on the temple grounds and greets visitors by holding her trunk over their heads. During Vinayaka Chaturthi a golden chariot moves through the streets accompanied by thousands of worshippers who sing and dance.
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