Known worldwide as the "Thirupati Venkateswara temple" of Southeast Asia, the newly-rebuilt Sri Sundararaja Peru­mal temple will be the first all-granite, hand-carved one of its kind in Malaysia.



Devoted to the worship of Lord Vishnu, the Hindu temple has enlisted the efforts of 50 stone carvers and their families in Kanchipuram, 60km from Chennai, India, to craft the all-granite temple, costing RM10mil.



The Tirupathi Venkateswara temple in Thirupati, South India is reportedly the richest and most visited place of worship in the world with about 50,000 to 100,000 pilgrims daily.



Temple president S. Ananda­krishnan, who initiated the idea to rebuild the temple using granite, said work had began last year and would be completed in 2014.



"Stone blocks from Sirudamoor Hill, some 20km from Kanchipuram will be carved. No machines will be used so as not to disturb the living energy in the granite.



"It is believed that Vishnu is in everything and using granite would cause the vibrations of the mantras to resonate at a higher level," he said, adding that the granite structure follows the precise design formulas defined by southern Indian temple builders thousands of years ago.



He added that the Sri Sundararaja Perumal temple would be 15m high including a dome and copper crown.The first shipment of seven, 40ft containers of pillars weighing at least three tonnes will be brought in soon for assembling, he said.



R. Selvanathan, the chief executive officer of the Chennai-based Sri Vaidyanatha Sthapati Associates – an architect, sculptor and building firm – said the all-granite temple project was a rarity even in India when granite has yielded to concrete and steel.



Philanthropist P. Thiagarajan and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk S.K. Devamany will attend the foundation laying ceremony of the temple at 7am today.