Pithapuram: The divine abode - Puruhootika Devi temple

By Aruna Ravikumar | THE HANS INDIA |   Nov 11,2018 , 12:55 AM IST

Puruhootika Devi temple

It is not just scenes from the epics and Puranas etched on stone and the architectural splendour that holds your attention. The splash of colour embellishing different sculptures within and outside the temple complex stand out in stark contrast to the light-coloured walls and the gopuram or the main entrance.

Birds delicately perched on the branches of the sacred Audambara tree add to the allure as does the pushkarini (pond) at the entrance. The huge temple complex of ‘‘Kukkuteshwara Swamy” in Pithapuram in the East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh said to be one of the oldest and most sacred pilgrimage centres in India has a distinctly different feel to it. It beckons not just the devout but those interested in history, folklore and architecture.

With the history of the region dating back to the 5th century, architecture is said to be influenced by the style of the Vishnukundin and Chalukya dynasties. Referred to as “Pithikapuram” in the Puranas it is one of the Ashta dasha (18) Shakti peethas or places where body parts of Goddess Sati Devi fell. Driving down from Kakinada, on the wide well-maintained road with the sparse morning traffic, we found ourselves inside the temple well ahead of the half an hour travel time mentioned by the locals. The temple referred to as “Dakshina Gaya” or “Pada Gaya” is of three-fold importance as a Shiva Kshetra, a Shakti peetham and the birthplace of Sripada Vallabha one of the first incarnations of Lord Dattatreya.

As soon as we enter the temple, we see the mandapam housing the huge horizontal statue of Gayasura, a powerful and pious asura on whose body Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara are performing a yagna. His body was said to be so huge that his head rested in Bihar, body in Orissa and feet touched Pithapuram. Legend has it that Gayasura, who had become all-powerful had usurped Indra’s position as the King of the God’s and the trinity approached Gayasura disguised as Brahmins in response to Indra’s penance.

They asked Gayasura for a place to perform the Yagna upon which Gayasura offered his body as a venue. The Gods agreed on the condition that they would slay him if he got up before the completion of the yagna. Gayasura was tricked into believing that the yagna was completed on the 7th day when he heard a rooster crow at “midnight” and was slain.

This is where Gayasuras feet fell and is known as “Pada Gaya”, where visiting devotees are said to gain moksha or liberation. Kukkuteswara Swamy, a form of Lord Shiva is the presiding deity, who reveals himself in the form a swayambhu (self-originating) marble lingam of two-feet height, resembling a “kukkutam” (rooster). Facing Kukkteshwara Swamy is a huge “Eka Sila Nandi” (bull) carved out of a single stone.

To the Northeast corner of the temple is the black stone idol of Goddess “Puruhootika Devi” with the temple walls carved with the 18 incarnations of the goddess. The idols of “Hoonkarini Devi” and “Raja Rajeshwari’’ are among the several smaller shrines to various gods and goddesses that are nestled inside. Behind these shrines is the “Sripada Vallabha” kshetra, the incarnation of Dattatreya and the Audamabar tree where devotees pray with fervour for fulfilling their wishes. 

Source: https://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Sunday-Hans/2018-11-11/Pithapuram-The-divine-abode/440116

Court steps in to save lands owned by 36,000 temples

Mohamed Imranullah S.

CHENNAI , November 01, 2018 01:17 IST

Updated: November 01, 2018 07:50 IST

Madurai Meenakshi temple.   | Photo Credit: G_Moorthy

Orders entire data to be uploaded on HR & CE website within three months

In an attempt to protect temple properties, the Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR & CE) Department to collate details of properties owned by over 36,000 temples under its control and publish the status of the properties on its website within three months.
Justice S.M. Subramaniam issued the direction while disposing of a writ petition related to fixation of fair rent for temple property in Tiruvarur. He ordered that the list of rent defaulters, those who were in unlawful occupation of temple properties should be uploaded on the official website of HR & CE Department within three months.
Further, all civil courts in the State were directed to find out the suits instituted against orders passed by the officials under the HR & CE Act and dispose them of expeditiously without any lapse of time. The Registrar General of the High Court was ordered to communicate the direction to all the civil courts in the State.
The other significant direction issued by the judge was to HR&CE Commissioner who was ordered to constitute committees to identify the encroachers, illegal occupants, land grabbers who are in possession of the temple properties and initiate appropriate legal action against them before the end of January next year. Observing that huge tracts of temple lands in the State could not have landed in the hands of land grabbers without the connivance of HR & CE officials, the judge directed the Commissioner to constitute separate committees consisting of officials with proven integrity to identify the erring officials and initiate disciplinary action.

Compliance report

He also sought a compliance report from the Commissioner and directed the High Court Registry to list the case again on January 23. “With all humility, this court with pain, has to observe that the HR&CE department remained as a silent spectator for such large scale illegalities and corrupt activities.
“No one can believe that the higher officials of the department are unaware of such illegalities and corrupt activities. Only possible inference to be drawn is that they have not initiated any effective and efficient actions to prevent or at least to set right all those illegalities and corrupt activities,” the judge said.
Pointing out that most top officials of the department were law graduates, the judge wondered how such people could allow temple properties to be under illegal occupation. “The growing trend across the State is that encroachment of public lands, temple lands and trust lands is continuing unabated as a menace.
“However, no effective steps are taken to curb the illegal activities of those land mafias and land grabbers. Contrarily, the authorities have either colluded or remained as silent spectators. Few honest officials remain as silent spectators and their inaction encourages these illegal activities,” he added.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/court-steps-in-to-save-lands-owned-by-36000-temples/article25384524.ece

Coimbatore College accused of occupying temple land

The HinduA. Radhakrishnan (second right) of Thiruthondargal Sabai, Tamil Nadu, involved in a heated argument with the management of Kalaignar Karunanidhi Institute of Technology in front of the institution on Friday. Photo: M. Periasamy

Land was properly bought through the court, says college vice-chairman

The Thiruthondargal Sabai, Tamil Nadu, an organisation involved in reclaiming encroached temple lands, has claimed that a major portion of land on which the Kalaignar Karunanidhi Institute of Technology is established belonged to two renowned temples in Tamil Nadu.

The college was founded by former Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Minister Pongalur N. Palanisamy in 2006. The issue has been raised by founder and president of Thiruthondargal Sabai A. Radhakrishnan.

He claimed that he had verified revenue records of the land. It was also done at the site here on Friday, along with officials from Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) and Revenue departments, amid police security.

The verification was done on the basis of a petition submitted by the Sabai to the Chief Secretary of the Government of Tamil Nadu a couple of days ago from whom it was directed to the Commissioner of HR&CE Department.

The institution has been established on 25 acres at Pallapalayam near Kannampalayam in the district. A total of 9.36 acres is claimed to be dedicated to the ‘Thiruvannamalai Arunachaleswar Temple’ and ‘Chidambaram Natarajar Temple’ by owner of the land V. Karupagounder of Kannampalayam, way back in 1898.

“According to Mr. Karupagounder’s will, the outcome of the land has to be used for Annadhanam at Arunachaleswar Temple and to conduct Vilva Pooja at the Natarajar Temple. But the land has been illegally sold by purposely hiding original records of the land dating back to 1898,” Mr. Radhakrishnan alleged.

He added that land dedicated to temples could be used for other purposes through the court by including the HR&CE Commissioner and the administration of the temple concerned.

“But the sale deed was executed illegally without including those two. We will take necessary steps to recover the land legally by filing a land grab case against the institution,” he said.

According to him, the illegal sale was executed with the help of Government officials of various departments.

“We will also make an appeal to the Chief Minister to initiate legal action against the faulty officials too,” he added.

Vice-chairman of the college M. Indu denied the charges and claimed that the piece of land on which the institution was located was properly bought through the court and after depositing money as a fixed deposit in the bank to use interest generated from it to carry out spiritual works at the above said temples.

“We purchased the land from a third party who had bought it from the descendants of Mr. Karupagounder,” she said.

She added that the issue was raised by vested interests as their institution was named after former Chief Minister and DMK president M. Karunanidhi.

“We will fight the issue legally and also initiate legal action against those who try to tarnish its image,” Ms. Indu added.

Managing trustee of Vijayalakshmi Palanisamy Trust (that runs the college) Vidya Gokul lodged a police complaint against the officials who came to the place, stating that they came to their college without prior intimation.

“But it was not accepted by the Sulur Police. We have emailed a copy of the complaint to the Superintendent of Police (Coimbatore District) and the District Collector,” Ms. Indu said.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/kalaignar-karunanidhi-institue-of-technology-accused-of-occupying-temple-land/article6298437.ece 

50 ஆயிரம் ஏக்கர் கோவில் நிலங்கள் "சுவாகா!'

கோவில் மற்றும் அறக்கட்டளைகளின் நிலங்களை கையகப்படுத்துவது, கூடிய மட்டும் தவிர்க்கப் பட வேண்டும் என்றும், தகுந்த மாற்று நிலம் கிடைக்காத போது, கடைசி கட்டமாகத் தான் கோவில் நிலங்களை பொது நன்மைக்காக எடுக்க வேண்டும் என்றும், தமிழக அரசின் அரசாணைகளும், சுப்ரீம் கோர்ட்டின் வழிகாட்டுதல்களும், தெள்ளத்தெளிவாக கூறுகின்றன. "ஆணையரின் அனுமதி இல்லாமல் கோவில் சொத்துக்களை விற்க முடியாது, கோவிலின் நலனுக்கு விரோதமாகவும் விற்க முடியாது' என, அறநிலைய சட்டம் பிரிவு சு 34 கூறுகிறது. பிரிவுகள், 78 மற்றும் 79, கோவில் சொத்துக்களை ஆக்கிரமிப்பில் இருந்து மீட்பதற்கும், வருமான பாக்கிகளை ஜப்தி செய்து எடுக்கவும், இந்த துறை அதிகாரிகளுக்கு மிகச் சிறப்பான அதிகாரங்களை அளிக்கின்றன. சட்டமும், நீதிமன்ற வழிகாட்டுதல்களும் இவ்வாறு இருக்கும் போது, கோவில் சொத்துக்களில் இருந்து, 90 சதவீதம் வருமானம் வராமல் இருப்பதும், மிகப் பெரிய அளவில் நிலங்கள் ஆக்கிரமிப்பில் இருப்பதும், இந்த துறை தேவை தானா என்ற, கேள்வியை எழுப்புகிறது. வருமானத்தை தான் சரியாக பெறவில்லை. மதிப்பு மிக்க நிலங்களையாவது இந்த துறை காப்பாற்றுகிறதா என்றால், உங்களுக்கு அதிர்ச்சி தான் காத்திருக்கிறது. கடந்த, 1986ல், 5.25 லட்சம் ஏக்கர் நிலங்கள் கோவில்களுக்கும், அறக்கட்டளைகளுக்கும் சொந்தமாக இருந்ததாக, அரசு கொள்கை குறிப்பு தெரிவிக்கிறது. இந்து சமய நிறுவனங்களுக்கு இப்போது உள்ள நிலங்களின் பரப்பு, 4.78 லட்சம் ஏக்கர். அதாவது, ஆக்கிரமிப்பில் உள்ள நிலங்களையும் சேர்த்தால், ஏறத்தாழ, 50 ஆயிரம் ஏக்கர் நிலங்களை இந்த துறை தொலைத்து உள்ளது. இது மிகப்பெரிய அநியாயம்! இப்படியே போனால் கோவில்களுக்கு நிலங்கள் சொந்தம் என்பதை நாம் கல்வெட்டில் தான் பார்க்கலாம். அந்த கல்வெட்டுகளும், புனரமைப்பு என்ற பெயரில், இந்த துறை அதிகாரிகளால், கண்மூடித்தனமாக பெயர்த்து எறியப்பட்டும், உடைக்கப்பட்டும் வருகின்ற நிகழ்ச்சிகளை நாம் பார்த்துக் கொண்டு வருகிறோம். நடப்பது என்ன? நிலம் தேவை என்றால் தமிழக அரசு முதலில் கை வைப்பது கோவில் நிலங்களில் தான். அதிலும், 50, 60 ஏக்கர்கள் மேல் தேவை என்றால் அரசு வேறு எங்கும் தேடுவதில்லை. நேராக கோவில் நிலத்தில் கை வைத்துவிடுகிறது. கோவில் நிலத்தை விற்பதற்குத் தக்காருக்கோ, செயல் அலுவலருக்கோ எந்த உரிமையும் கிடையாது. அரசே முன் மொழிந்து, அரசே பரிந்துரை செய்து, அரசே விற்பனைக்கு ஒப்புதலும் அளிக்கும் அநியாயத்தை தமிழகத்திலும், புதுவையிலும் நாம் திரும்பத் திரும்ப பார்கலாம்.

திருப்பூர் ஆட்சியர் அலுவலகத்தை கட்ட, இப்படி தான் விஸ்வேஸ்வர சுவாமி கோவிலின் சொத்துக்கள் அனைத்தையும் அரசு எடுத்துக் கொண்டது. இதில், மேலும் ஓர் அநியாயம், அப்படி கட்டடங்கள் கட்ட எடுத்துக் கொண்ட நிலங்களில், ஓர் ஏரியும் அடங்கும். நீர் நிலைகளில் எப்படி கட்டடங்கள் கட்டலாம்? அப்படி செய்தால், அரசுக்கும், சாதாரண ஏரி ஆக்கிரமிப்பாளருக்கும் என்ன வித்தியாசம்?

கோவில் நிலங்கள் கொள்ளையில் நடக்கும் அநியாயங்கள் கொஞ்சநஞ்சம் அல்ல.

சிக்கல் சிங்காரவேலர் கோவில் நிலங்களுக்கு இழப்பீடு சம்பந்தமான கோப்பு, 10 ஆண்டுகளாக ஆணையர் அலுவலகத்தில் தூங்குகிறது

"மதுரையில், 50 ஏக்கர் நிலங்கள், மீனாட்சி அம்மன் கோவிலுக்குத் தான் சொந்தம்' என்று, சுப்ரீம் கோர்ட் தீர்ப்பு அளித்த பின்பும், தமிழக அரசும் அறநிலைய துறையும் சேர்ந்து, வழக்கில் தோற்றுப் போன ஆக்கிரமிப்பாளனுக்கே விலைமதிப்பற்ற அந்த நிலங்களை பட்டா போட்டுக் கொடுத்தன

அதேபோல், சுப்ரீம் கோர்ட் தீர்ப்பு சாதகமாக வந்த பின்பும், மயிலாடுதுறை சாமவேத பாடசாலையின் நிலங்களை, இந்த துறை மீட்காமல் வேடிக்கை பார்த்து வருகிறது

1976ம் ஆண்டு ஆவணங்களின் படி, சென்னை தண்டையார்பேட்டை தனபால் நகரில், 23 மனைகளும், அடையாறில், 500 மனைகளும், திருவண்ணாமலை அருணாசலேஸ்வரருக்கு சொந்தம் என, தெரிவிக்கின்றன. கோவில் நிர்வாகம் இப்பொழுது அடையாறில், 121 மனைகள் தான் உள்ளன என்று கூறுகிறது. தண்டையார்பேட்டை பற்றி பேச்சே இல்லை. கொள்ளையோ கொள்ளை. 

கடந்த 30 - 40 ஆண்டுகளில், கோவில்களும் அறக்கட்டளைகளும் இழந்த நிலங் களின் மதிப்பு, இன்றைக்கு குறைந்தது, 25 ஆயிரம் கோடி ரூபாய் இருக்கும்.

http://election.dinamalar.com/detail.php?id=4923

Rs 300 crore of temple land retrieved

CHENNAI: Within a year of assuming power, the AIADMK government has retrieved temple land worth Rs 300 crore, which had been encroached upon, and returned the land to the respective temples. This has been possible only because of the serious efforts taken by the government.

As many as 169.14 acres of land, 17 grounds and 474 sq ft of plots and buildings in an area of 29,133 sq ft have been retrieved from encroachment.

In the heart of Chennai, five grounds and 1,073 sq ft of land worth `25 crore located in Raja Annamalaipuram, belonging to the Sri Kapaleeswarar temple in Mylapore has been retrieved. Similarly, 16.48 acres of land belonging to the Vinayakar temple in Kottapatti village in Omalur taluk in Salem district has also been retrieved from encroachers.

In yet another incident, 49.46 acres of land belonging to the Kandasamy temple in Chengleput taluk at Thiruporur and Edayankuppam was retrieved from encroachers on May 2.

When Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa came to know that 4.78 lakh acres of land owned by temples were under the control of the HR and CE Department but their full details were not available with the department, she ordered that a database be created for the land of 2,000 temples which have large assets.

During the just-concluded Assembly budget session, HR and CE Minister MSM Anandan introduced a Bill in the State Assembly which brings the samadhis and brindhavans under the department.

The Bill said samadhis and brindhavans established in memory of a famous guru, sadhu or saint were worshipped as places of public religious worship and that these places have acquired the status of religious institutions owning vast properties besides attracting large number of worshippers.

Barring a few, most of the samadhis and brindhavans are not covered under any law. Therefore, for effective supervision, the government has decided to include samadhis, brindhavans and other institutions under the definition of the term ‘religious institution’ as per the HR and CE Endowments Act.

Herculean task ahead for the authorities

The HinduInformative: A board displaying the details of rent due by tenants of Kapaleeswarar Temple. Photo: K.V. Srinivasan

An old-fashioned bungalow stands on the banks of the Adyar River on a sprawling five grounds. Located at the end of Bughs Road, beyond the Sundaram Temple at R.A. Puram, not many know of its existence. But it is a wellknown shooting spot and a much sought after destination of the directors of TV serials and feature films.

Today the bungalow is in possession of the authorities of Kapaleeswarar Temple, Mylapore. “It is our property and has been so right from 1958,” says A.T. Paranjothi, DC, HR & CE. Tracing its history, he says: “About 19 grounds (land was given to the temple by Bughs, a military personnel) was rented out to Krishnaveni, actress, in 1958 for a rent of Rs. 180. Later on n 1975 the rent was revised to Rs. 400. She did pay the rent till the temple authorities revised

the scale to Rs. 6,400 (commercial rent) as she was using the area for shooting purposes. So in 1989 the authorities filed a case against her and asked her to hand over the property to the temple. In 1994 the judgment was delivered in

favour of the temple. She fought many legal battles. Between 2002 and 2008, the authorities tried to evict the family but she and her daughter Anuradha Devi raised objections. Execution petition of the eviction was pending in the court till 2011 and finally after obtaining orders from the court at the fag end of the year, we recovered five grounds and 1.073 sq ft of land on Dec. 9, last year.

“While six grounds have been encroached by a single person (who has built residential buildings here), five grounds have been handed over to MRTS and the rest have been encroached by slum dwellers. Steps will be taken to evict them too,” says Mr. Paranjothi. According to him, history says that about 299 grounds of land were given to Kapaleeswarar Temple in 1952 by Mr. Bughs before he moved to England.

Another major recovery made by the HR & CE is a building in Kapali Nagar, opposite to Saibaba Temple on Venkatesa Agraharam. “We caught a tenant when he was trying to sublet his residence. Fearing criminal proceedings, he handed over the property to the temple,” says Mr. Paranjothi.

The Aavin parlour on R.K. Mutt Road near the bus stand was actually functioning on temple land for which it was paying no rent. The authorities issued eviction notice and the property was handed over the temple by the end of 2011.

There are 20 major defaulters — ordinary residents to private companies — who have dues running into

lakhs of rupees. “All of them will be penalised if they do not pay a fair rent and will be evicted if they refuse to,” says the DC. The temple has a lot of property donated to it by the Cholas, Pandiyas and Pallavas. At present, a number of tenants are using them for commercial and residential purposes. The rent was fixed by trustees, decades ago. Some were given on a 99-year lease, others for 50 years while some on a monthly basis. There were no proper guidelines until 1998. Depending on whether they were commercial, noncommercial or residential, rent was fixed, based on the market value. A Government Order, stating that the fares would be revised once in three years by 33.33 per cent, was issued. But as the tenants raised objections another G.O. reducing the rental rate was issued in 2007.

Based on this, the Government has ordered the HR & CE to track and penalise the defaulters and recover properties. Notices have been issued to all of them. While some have approached the judiciary, others have agreed to pay. “Properties worth more than 20 crores are yet to be recovered. It is a Herculean task and I hope to execute it to the best of my ability,” concludes Mr. Paranjothi.

Data on HR & CE land submitted

CHENNAI: Eight districts in the State have complied with a GO dated November 23, 2009, which directed the Principal Secretary/Commissioner of Survey and Settlement to send the compact disks (CDs) by scanning all the details in respect of the lands belonging to Hindu Religious Temples in the State, the Commissioner has informed the Madras High Court, recently.

Of the eight districts — Dharmapuri, Dindigul, Virudhunagar, Tiruppur, Trichy, Sivaganga, Tiruvarur and Tirunelveli — which had sent the CDs containing the details, the CDs submitted by the last two districts (Tiruvarur and Tirunelveli) had already been forwarded to the Assistant Commissioner, HR&CE.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/data-on-hr--ce-land-submitted/251523-60.html 

Court seeks details of temple lands

The Madras High Court has granted four months to the revenue authorities to collect all details relating to lands belonging to various temples in Tamil Nadu and hand them over in compact discs to the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department.

The First Bench comprising Chief Justice M.Y.Eqbal and Justice T.S.Sivagnanam passed the order on a public interest litigation petition by the International Sri Vaishnava Dharma Samrakshana Society, represented by its president, Swamy Govinda Ramanujadasa, Nungambakkam, seeking a direction to the authorities to implement the G.O. of November 23, 2009. The petitioner said this would enable the authorities to defend the cases pending before the court. Nearly 4.78 lakh acres of lands belonged to temples in the State.

As per the G.O., the government had directed the Commissioner of Land Survey and Settlement to send the compact discs by scanning all the details of the temple lands. It also directed the Commissioner to take comprehensive efforts to collect all the details from the Archives Department and Collectorates concerned.

When the matter came up before Messrs.Justices Eqbal and Sivagnanam, the Commissioner filed a counter stating as per the directions in the G.O., all Collectors had been requested to send a detailed report in respect of the expenditure to be incurred, other requirements etc., for giving effect to the G.O. Complying with the directions, details of property in respect of eight districts – Dharmapuri, Dindigul, Virudhunagar, Tirupur, Tiruchirappalli, Sivaganga, Tiruvarur and Tirunelveli – had been received. Particulars with regard to Tiruvarur and Tirunelveli had already been sent to the Assistant Commissioner, HR and CE department. Reports from the other districts are awaited.

The matter will come up after four months for filing of status report by the authorities.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/tamil-nadu/article3348275.ece