“RUINED TEMPLES� - THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS – 26 OCTOBER 2009

[Guest guest]

*THE

NEW INDIAN EXPRESS - 26 OCTOBER 2009.*

* " RUINED

TEMPLES " *

 

*Seventy-Eight percent of the temples under the control of the

HR & CE Department are in shambles. According to activists, its time the

government hands over the control of the temples to an independent, politically

neutral body. - T.Muruganandam reports: -*

 

*`They are being run like govt

depts' SEVENTY-EIGHT PER CENT OF THE TEMPLES UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE HR &

CE DEPARTMENT ARE IN SHAMBLES. *

 

Some years ago, a devotee tried to reno

vate the ancient temple of Lord Ran ganatha at Thirumalpadi near Van davasi. The

temple that sits on a hill rockwas totally dilapidated. The devotee went from

door to door and begged for money and toiled day and night to get the temple

renovated. Thekumbhabhishekham was slated to take place in 2007.

 

But

a local politician interfered and stopped the kumbhabhishekham for his own

reasons. Though the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR &

CE) department took action against the politician, he was later let off

because of his closeness to top lead ers in Chennai. Rers in

Chennai.

 

RECALLING this incident, A M Rajagopalan (86), editor of

Kumudham Jothidam weekly, who was instrumental in the renovation of many ancient

temples for the past few decades, says the government and local politicians

instead of acting as force multipliers try to put a spoke in people's

initiative.

Individual initiative to renovate temples runs into a virtual

wall of government procedural formalities and clearances, testing their will and

patience and wasting lots of time, he says.

 

Kings built most of the

temples, but they never intervened in the traditional worship there. Even the

Britishers never interfered in the administration of temples, he points out,

strongly arguing for handing over temple administration to a non-political

independent body.

 

According to him, there are 381 temples that are 1,000

years old, 72 of which are very important for their architectural

splendor.

 

After Independence, various political parties started

influencing the administration of Hindu temples. Since India was declared as a

secularcountry, people expected the government to stay off religion and

religious institutions. But the opposite has happened.

 

Rajagopalan says

that the HR & CE department does not have infrastructure to renovate and

manage all the ancient temples. " Many temples are being run asif they are

government offices.... In all fairness, the Hindu society should be allowed to

run the temples according to Agama Sastras and traditional values. "

Veteran

journalist R S Narayanaswami, who has been researching on temples for over four

decades, lays the blame squarely on the successive governments for

impoverishing the temples, resulting in their poor upkeep.

 

Under the

pretext of land reforms, the State drastically reduced the income of temples

over a period of time. In 1953, through a legislation, the ratio of the net

produce from the temple lands to be shared between the temples and its tenants

was fixed at 60:40. After the DMK assumed office, the ratiocame down to

25:75. Even this low share is not being realized by many

temples.

 

Narayanaswami describes the government's efforts to renovate 48

ancient temples as grossly insufficient. " There is a need for a major scheme

for renovating ancient temples as they are the cultural heritage of our

State. "

 

In figures *38,465* temples in the State are controlled by the

HR & CE dept that comes under the State government.

 

*Under the pre text

of land reforms, the State government drastically reduced the income of the

temples over a period of time* -- NARAYANASWAMI

 

*30,000* temples are

getting less than *Rs 5,000* as annual income. Of these many are in dilapidated

state and need funds for renovation, according tothe HR & CE dept's

policy note.

 

A M Rajagopalan says that *there are 381 temples in the

State that are 1,000 years old, 72 of which are very important for their

architectural splendor.*

 

*DEMAND TO HAND OVER CONTROL TO AUTONOMOUS

BODY*

 

 

* " Most of the funds for temple kumbhabhishekham are

raised by devotees and not the govt.

So, why shouldn't they be allowed to run

the temples themselves? " *

 

EIGHTY-four years after the government took

over the administration of Hindu temples in the State on grounds of poor

management and misappropriation of funds by the then dharmakartas (trustees),

the maintenance of many temples continues to be poor, prompting the call for

handing over the administrationto an independent body.

 

The Hindu

Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR & CE) Department, through which the

State government manages the temples, admits that over 30,000 temples " are

getting less than Rs 5,000 as annual income. Among these temples, many of them

are very dilapidated, requiring huge money forrenovation. " In all, the HR

& CE department controls 38,465 temples.

 

In other words, over 78 per

cent temples under government control are in a shambles. Reason enough for the

temple protection activists to demand that the administration of Hindu

temples be handed over to an independent board comprising retired judges, heads

of religious organisations and others.

According to an estimate, of the

30,000 dilapidated temples in the State, at least 500 are ancient and have

historical importance. The Pandiyas, Pallavas and kings of the Vijayanagar

Empire built most of them.

 

*According to activists, it's time the

government hands over control of the temples to an independent, politically

neutral body. *

 

The activists point out that the government has

done precious little to clear vast swathes of temple lands that are under

encroachment by individuals. Land is meant to generate wealth; encroachment

chokes the revenue stream. Also, though temples own lakhs of acres of land and

otherproperty, major functions like kumbhabhishekham (consecration) and

periodic renovation take place mostly through donations by devotees. " If the

devotees

need to raise funds them selves, why shouldn't they be allowed to

run the temples themselves? It's time the government handed over the

administration to an independent body, " the activists assert.

 

At

present, 4,78,681 acres of dry, wet and manavari lands, 22,599 buildings and

33,627 sites belonging to religious institutions are under the control of the

HR & CE department. Agricultural lands owned by the temples and mutts are

under occupation by 1,23,729 lessees. All the buildings and sites

areoccupied by tenants.

Besides, cases of temple break-ins

resulting in idol theft or breaking of hundis (fund collection boxes) and

killing of temple watchmen have gone up manifold over the years, exposing the

government's total ineptitude, they say.

 

Temples came under government

control in 1925 after a recommendation to that effect by a commission in

1921.

 

HR and CE Minister KR Periyakaruppan could not be contacted for

hiscomments.

 

*FORGOTTEN PANEL REPORT FOR BETTER TEMPLE ADMINISTRATION

*

 

THE DMK regime in 1989 constiuted a five-member committee headed by

Kundrakudi Adigalar for recommending measures for better administration

of the temples in Tamil Nadu. The panel included former Justice Krishnaswamy

Reddiyar.

 

The panel submitted its report in 1990 but the government never

made itsrecommendations public. The AIADMK regime that followed also did not

do anything on the report.

 

HERE ARE THE EXCERPTS FROM THE REPORT:

-

 

The government should avoid acquiring temple lands even for public

purposes.Only when the government is unable to get sufficient lands from

other sources, temple lands that are not of any use to the temples can be

acquiredby paying the prevailing market value The committee is of the view that

thefunds of the temples should not be spent or diverted to non-religious

workseither directly or indirectly Administration of each temple should

display

the list of movable and immovable assets of that particular temple

Ingeneral, the income through the temple lands is very meagre and that too

is being paid to the government in the form of land tax, water tax, etc.

Hence,it would not be proper for the government to extend the income

tax applicable to the individuals to the tem ples also as they are, in

fact,assets of society. As such, the temples should be exempted from income

taxLong-term leases (more than 10 years) should be cancelled so that the

incomeof the temples goes up considerably.

 

The temple lands in urban

areas should not be sold out under anycircumstance. Such lands could be used

for constructing houses, marriage halls andshopping complexes through Tamil Nadu

Housing Board so that the income of the temples could be increased A special

scheme for renovating all historically important temples, visited by saints

should be drawn up and allthese temples should be renovated within a

five-year time frame

Thanks & Regards,

 

 

Sudhir Srinivasan

B.Arch, Dip.ID, Dip.CAD, Dip.PM, AIIA, IIID, ARIAI

|Architect|

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

the politicians require money .Hence they are diverting  fund sin the  name of

god

 

They cannot do this to Muslims and christians

 

 

Sriram Medepalli

 

--- On Fri, 13/11/09, Sudhir-Architect <ar_sudhirkumar wrote:

 

Sudhir-Architect <ar_sudhirkumar

“RUINED TEMPLES†- THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS – 26

OCTOBER 2009

To:

Friday, 13 November, 2009, 1:51 AM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*THE

 

NEW INDIAN EXPRESS - 26 OCTOBER 2009.*

 

* " RUINED

 

TEMPLES " *

 

 

 

*Seventy-Eight percent of the temples under the control of the

 

HR & CE Department are in shambles. According to activists, its time the

 

government hands over the control of the temples to an independent, politically

 

neutral body. - T.Muruganandam reports: -*

 

 

 

*`They are being run like govt

 

depts' SEVENTY-EIGHT PER CENT OF THE TEMPLES UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE HR &

 

CE DEPARTMENT ARE IN SHAMBLES. *

 

 

 

Some years ago, a devotee tried to reno

 

vate the ancient temple of Lord Ran ganatha at Thirumalpadi near Van davasi. The

 

temple that sits on a hill rockwas totally dilapidated. The devotee went from

 

door to door and begged for money and toiled day and night to get the temple

 

renovated. Thekumbhabhishekham was slated to take place in 2007.

 

 

 

But

 

a local politician interfered and stopped the kumbhabhishekham for his own

 

reasons. Though the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR &

 

CE) department took action against the politician, he was later let off

 

because of his closeness to top lead ers in Chennai. Rers in

 

Chennai.

 

 

 

RECALLING this incident, A M Rajagopalan (86), editor of

 

Kumudham Jothidam weekly, who was instrumental in the renovation of many ancient

 

temples for the past few decades, says the government and local politicians

 

instead of acting as force multipliers try to put a spoke in people's

 

initiative.

 

Individual initiative to renovate temples runs into a virtual

 

wall of government procedural formalities and clearances, testing their will and

 

patience and wasting lots of time, he says.

 

 

 

Kings built most of the

 

temples, but they never intervened in the traditional worship there. Even the

 

Britishers never interfered in the administration of temples, he points out,

 

strongly arguing for handing over temple administration to a non-political

 

independent body.

 

 

 

According to him, there are 381 temples that are 1,000

 

years old, 72 of which are very important for their architectural

 

splendor.

 

 

 

After Independence, various political parties started

 

influencing the administration of Hindu temples. Since India was declared as a

 

secularcountry, people expected the government to stay off religion and

 

religious institutions. But the opposite has happened.

 

 

 

Rajagopalan says

 

that the HR & CE department does not have infrastructure to renovate and

 

manage all the ancient temples. " Many temples are being run asif they are

 

government offices.... In all fairness, the Hindu society should be allowed to

 

run the temples according to Agama Sastras and traditional values. "

 

Veteran

 

journalist R S Narayanaswami, who has been researching on temples for over four

 

decades, lays the blame squarely on the successive governments for

 

impoverishing the temples, resulting in their poor upkeep.

 

 

 

Under the

 

pretext of land reforms, the State drastically reduced the income of temples

 

over a period of time. In 1953, through a legislation, the ratio of the net

 

produce from the temple lands to be shared between the temples and its tenants

 

was fixed at 60:40. After the DMK assumed office, the ratiocame down to

 

25:75. Even this low share is not being realized by many

 

temples.

 

 

 

Narayanaswami describes the government's efforts to renovate 48

 

ancient temples as grossly insufficient. " There is a need for a major scheme

 

for renovating ancient temples as they are the cultural heritage of our

 

State. "

 

 

 

In figures *38,465* temples in the State are controlled by the

 

HR & CE dept that comes under the State government.

 

 

 

*Under the pre text

 

of land reforms, the State government drastically reduced the income of the

 

temples over a period of time* -- NARAYANASWAMI

 

 

 

*30,000* temples are

 

getting less than *Rs 5,000* as annual income. Of these many are in dilapidated

 

state and need funds for renovation, according tothe HR & CE dept's

 

policy note.

 

 

 

A M Rajagopalan says that *there are 381 temples in the

 

State that are 1,000 years old, 72 of which are very important for their

 

architectural splendor.*

 

 

 

*DEMAND TO HAND OVER CONTROL TO AUTONOMOUS

 

BODY*

 

 

 

* " Most of the funds for temple kumbhabhishekham are

 

raised by devotees and not the govt.

 

So, why shouldn't they be allowed to run

 

the temples themselves? " *

 

 

 

EIGHTY-four years after the government took

 

over the administration of Hindu temples in the State on grounds of poor

 

management and misappropriation of funds by the then dharmakartas (trustees),

 

the maintenance of many temples continues to be poor, prompting the call for

 

handing over the administrationto an independent body.

 

 

 

The Hindu

 

Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR & CE) Department, through which the

 

State government manages the temples, admits that over 30,000 temples " are

 

getting less than Rs 5,000 as annual income. Among these temples, many of them

 

are very dilapidated, requiring huge money forrenovation. " In all, the HR

 

& CE department controls 38,465 temples.

 

 

 

In other words, over 78 per

 

cent temples under government control are in a shambles. Reason enough for the

 

temple protection activists to demand that the administration of Hindu

 

temples be handed over to an independent board comprising retired judges, heads

 

of religious organisations and others.

 

According to an estimate, of the

 

30,000 dilapidated temples in the State, at least 500 are ancient and have

 

historical importance. The Pandiyas, Pallavas and kings of the Vijayanagar

 

Empire built most of them.

 

 

 

*According to activists, it's time the

 

government hands over control of the temples to an independent, politically

 

neutral body. *

 

 

 

The activists point out that the government has

 

done precious little to clear vast swathes of temple lands that are under

 

encroachment by individuals. Land is meant to generate wealth; encroachment

 

chokes the revenue stream. Also, though temples own lakhs of acres of land and

 

otherproperty, major functions like kumbhabhishekham (consecration) and

 

periodic renovation take place mostly through donations by devotees. " If the

 

devotees

 

need to raise funds them selves, why shouldn't they be allowed to

 

run the temples themselves? It's time the government handed over the

 

administration to an independent body, " the activists assert.

 

 

 

At

 

present, 4,78,681 acres of dry, wet and manavari lands, 22,599 buildings and

 

33,627 sites belonging to religious institutions are under the control of the

 

HR & CE department. Agricultural lands owned by the temples and mutts are

 

under occupation by 1,23,729 lessees. All the buildings and sites

 

areoccupied by tenants.

 

Besides, cases of temple break-ins

 

resulting in idol theft or breaking of hundis (fund collection boxes) and

 

killing of temple watchmen have gone up manifold over the years, exposing the

 

government's total ineptitude, they say.

 

 

 

Temples came under government

 

control in 1925 after a recommendation to that effect by a commission in

 

1921.

 

 

 

HR and CE Minister KR Periyakaruppan could not be contacted for

 

hiscomments.

 

 

 

*FORGOTTEN PANEL REPORT FOR BETTER TEMPLE ADMINISTRATION

 

*

 

 

 

THE DMK regime in 1989 constiuted a five-member committee headed by

 

Kundrakudi Adigalar for recommending measures for better administration

 

of the temples in Tamil Nadu. The panel included former Justice Krishnaswamy

 

Reddiyar.

 

 

 

The panel submitted its report in 1990 but the government never

 

made itsrecommendations public. The AIADMK regime that followed also did not

 

do anything on the report.

 

 

 

HERE ARE THE EXCERPTS FROM THE REPORT:

 

-

 

 

 

The government should avoid acquiring temple lands even for public

 

purposes.Only when the government is unable to get sufficient lands from

 

other sources, temple lands that are not of any use to the temples can be

 

acquiredby paying the prevailing market value The committee is of the view that

 

thefunds of the temples should not be spent or diverted to non-religious

 

workseither directly or indirectly Administration of each temple should

 

display

 

the list of movable and immovable assets of that particular temple

 

Ingeneral, the income through the temple lands is very meagre and that too

 

is being paid to the government in the form of land tax, water tax, etc.

 

Hence,it would not be proper for the government to extend the income

 

tax applicable to the individuals to the tem ples also as they are, in

 

fact,assets of society. As such, the temples should be exempted from income

 

taxLong-term leases (more than 10 years) should be cancelled so that the

 

incomeof the temples goes up considerably.

 

 

 

The temple lands in urban

 

areas should not be sold out under anycircumstance. Such lands could be used

 

for constructing houses, marriage halls andshopping complexes through Tamil Nadu

 

Housing Board so that the income of the temples could be increased A special

 

scheme for renovating all historically important temples, visited by saints

 

should be drawn up and allthese temples should be renovated within a

 

five-year time frame

 

Thanks & Regards,

 

 

 

Sudhir Srinivasan

 

B.Arch, Dip.ID, Dip.CAD, Dip.PM, AIIA, IIID, ARIAI

 

|Architect|