Shore temple spruced up ahead of Modi-Xi summit

The ‘poetry in stone’ at the temple is to get even higher quality lights to enhance the photo opportunities as the leaders of the world’s two most populous countries meet

The iconic Shore Temple of Mahabalipuram has been an Unesco world heritage site for over 35 years. The 7th to 8th century temple, thought to be the only surviving one of seven built on the Coromandel Coast, might be the centre stage of the second informal meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese premier Xi Jinping next month.

Built during the rule of the Pallava king Narsimha Varma, the ‘poetry in stone’ is to get even higher quality lights on site to enhance the photo opportunities as the leaders of the world’s two most populous countries meet.

Ahead of the meet, a

Chinese delegation had

visited the site on Friday.

Top officials of Tamil Nadu, including chief secretary K. Shanmugham and DGP J.K. Tripathy, visited the venue and inspected the arrangements.

The entire area has been brought under CCTV surveillance and multi-layered security has been put in place. About 10,000 policemen will be deployed for security. The inspection teams also visited the other tourist locations in Mamallapuram, where the delegates are likely to stay.

As per a tentative itinerary of their visit, the two leaders are expected to circumambulate the Shore Temple and walk up to an adjoining spot for a photo-opportunity. They may choose to walk on the sands abutting the five rathas, a group of monuments resembling processional chariots of a temple, and may sit on a bench to be put up overlooking the rathas.

Officials from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) too visited the site to take up illumination, installing new stone flooring wherever required and sprucing up the location, so as to enhance the ambience of the venue.

According to sources, drones would be used to monitor the area and the coastline, as well.