Interesting article from the internet...

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>From www.rediff.com

 

> Huge Reliance donation for Guruvayur temple

> George Iype in Kochi

>

> Reliance Industries Limited will finance the reconstruction of the siveli

> pura inside the Sree Krishna Temple at Guruvayur in Kerala.

>

> But a number of devotees feel that the Sree Krishna Temple, one of the

> richest temples in the country, should not be at the mercy of the rich and

> the famous to improve its facilities.

>

> The Rs 13 million Reliance donation for rebuilding the old structure in

> the temple complex comes thanks Reliance Group Managing Director Mukesh

> Ambani, a devotee of the Guruvayur temple.

>

> The Ambani family are frequent visitors to the temple. So recently when

> Mukesh Ambani landed at the Sree Krishna temple, he was upset seeing the

> siveli pura in a bad shape.

>

> Temple authorities informed him that the old structure required urgent

> reconstruction. While the temple administration had already procured wood

> worth Rs 4 million to undertake rebuilding the structure years back, the

> work on it was yet to begin due to shortage of funds.

>

> Ambani stepped in and offered to pay for the reconstruction. According to

> Guruvayur Devaswom chairman M Venugopala Kurup, it is the first time that

> a big industrial house has come forward to finance a big project at the

> temple.

>

> "We are glad that the Reliance Group has offered to donate the amount

> required for reconstructing the siveli pura, which is in a bad shape,"

> Kurup told rediff.com.

>

> He said the Devaswom has planned a series of multi-million projects around

> the temple to improve facilities to thousands of devotees visiting

> Guruvayur. The projects include an Rs 13 million old age home, a Rs 50

> million auditorium and the addition of 15 suites to the VIP guest house.

>

> Asked if it was proper for the temple authorities to ask for funds from

> corporate houses, Kurup said, "There is nothing wrong in the temple

> receiving donations whether it is big or small. The temple is a holy place

> for all people, whether rich or poor. It is a nice thing that big

> corporate houses are spending money for religious purposes," he added.

>

> But not all devotees agree. According to Karunakaran Nambiar, an ardent

> devotee, the Guruvayur temple has lost its old glory and pious character

> because of "its increasing corporatisation."

>

> "I am not against temples getting donations. But why should the temple

> management ask for huge donations from industrial houses when the temple

> itself is rich?" Nambiar asked.

>

> The Sree Krishna temple with a depository of 700 pieces of diamonds and

> 246 kilograms of gold is one of the riches temples in the country. The

> annual income of the temple from gold deposited with the SBI Gold Bond

> Scheme alone is more than Rs 3 million.

>

> Sukumaran Nair, another devotee, said the temple is now famous for its VIP

> devotees and the controversies it has generated on a number of occasions.

>

> "I have fond memories of going to the temple as a child. I no longer feel

> pious when I go to the temple these days," Nair said.

>

> Recently the temple generated considerable controversy when its chief

> priest ordered special purification rites after former Kerala home

> minister and Congress politician Vayalar Ravi's son Ramakrishnan got

> married there.

>

> The then chief priest Chennas Divakaran Namboodiri claimed that he ordered

> the purification because he was not sure if Ramakrishnan was a Hindu or

> Christian. Ravi's wife Mercy is a Christian.

>

> Two weeks back, when Namboodiri relinquished charge, P C Vasudevan

> Namboodiripad, a scientist who retired from the Defence Research and

> Development Organisation, took over as the thantri (head priest).