KRISHNAGIRI: The sanctum sanctorum, the inside pillars and the thulabharam (weighing scale) at the Sri Periya Mariamman temple in Krishnagiri town were decorated with currency notes to the tune of nearly Rs 50 lakhs on the occasion of New Year 2026 on Thursday. The idol of the deity was adorned with a golden shield, and special pujas were performed. Many devotees worshipped at the temple on Thursday. Temple trustee C Muthu Kumar said they had sourced the currency notes from various people. “We used Rs 500, Rs 200, Rs 100, Rs 50, Rs 20 and Rs 10 notes. The total amount is a little less than Rs 50 lakhs. We will give the notes back to the people concerned in a couple of days.”He said they had been decorating the interior of the temple with currency notes for several years. “This would help devotees pray for their and the country’s prosperity on the New Year Day,” he added.