Bengaluru: You would have visited temples. Nothing surprising! And the temples you visited, or even visit, are dedicated to gods like Ganesha and Shiva. 

But here’ s a temple that is dedicated to none other than PM Narendra Modi himself! 

A farmer who goes by the name P Sankar, 50 years of age is a great admirer of the PM and has built a temple in his honour at Erakudi, a village 63 kilometres from Tiruchirappallii, Tamil Nadu. 

The temple has a bust of the PM and a tilak adorns his forehead. 

But what makes him such a die-hard fan of Modi’s? 

He says, "I received Rs 2,000 (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi) scheme for farmers, gas (Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana) and toilet (Individual Household Latrine Scheme) facilities. I like him for his personality as well. I have been keenly watching him for long."

India Today reported that BJP's Tiruchirappalli Zonal in-charge and national council member La Kannnan said the farmer was not a member.

But he added, "I sent our party office-bearers to meet him after I came to know about this temple for Modi ji. We have requested him to join the BJP and work for people's welfare.” 

Sankar said he has consented to become a member of the BJP since he "liked Ayya."

He says he was impressed and had benefitted by welfare schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi.

Sankar adds, "Now my desire is to perform a proper Kumbabishekam (consecration) for the temple.” 

Keen to see the Prime Minister in person, Sankar said he went to Mamallapuram near Chennai in October when Modi visited the seashore town for an informal summit with his Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"I could not meet him. But I am happy to get a glimpse of his cavalcade from a distance," he said.

The farmer said he was a self-made man after struggling for years in a Gulf country to buy land in his village.