Over 1,000 temples set to get a facelift

Annadhanam scheme to be extended to 50 more shrines

As many as 1,006 temples have been selected for renovation and consecration in the next financial year, Finance Minister O. Panneerselvam announced in the Budget on Monday.

An identical number of temples were renovated and consecrated in 2011-12.

The Annadhanam scheme, a brainchild of Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, which is being implemented in 468 temples, will be extended to 50 more temples during 2012-13. The kitchens of temples where this scheme is implemented will be modernised to provide hygienic food to devotees.

Besides, he said, the Chief Minister had ordered that the duration of annadhanam at the Sri Ranganatha Swami Temple, Srirangam, and Dandayuthapani Swami Temple, Palani, would be virtually throughout the day — from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Ongoing works

Referring to ongoing works, he said that the construction of a yatri niwas at Srirangam, estimated to cost Rs.25 crore, was in progress. A cable car would be provided at the Palani temple.

Special initiative

“As another special initiative, the Chief Minister has ordered the conduct of spiritual and moral classes on all Saturdays in important temples to make our children imbibe the high moral and ethical values enshrined in our ancient literature.” The children would be provided with snacks during such classes and awards be distributed to those who excel.

The Minister announced that the Special Revenue Units and Revenue Courts would be further strengthened for the speedy retrieval of temple property and settling disputes with regard to temple lands.

Tamil development

In addition to the number of awards already instituted, two more awards — Kapilar Award and U.Ve.Sa Award — would be given to eminent Tamils scholars and Tamil Thaai Award presented to Tamil organisations rendering yeoman service for the development of Tamil.

The renovation of the Kamarajar Mandapam at Kanyakumari and Kamarajar Ninaivu Illam in Chennai will be taken up next financial year.

TN Tourism to launch 10 special tour packages

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation Limited will soon launch 10 special tour packages in an attempt to give tourists visiting Tamil Nadu a chance to experience religious architecture and soak them in divine fervour in Hindu religious sites in the state. 

Carrying forward the idea of launching a one-day tour to all important temples in the state as announced by Tamil Nadu Tourism Minister Gokula Indira in the state Assembly last year, TTDCL has come up with 10 special packages that includes visits to notable religious sites in the state. 

The packages include a tour to nine Nagarathar temples in Sivaganga district -Illaiyathangudi, Illupaikudi,Iranikoil, Mathur, Nemam, Pillaiyarpatti, Soorakudi, Vairavankovil, and Velangudi temples near Karaikudi. 

Another tour includes visit to Divya Desam temples in Kancheepuram and Thiruvallur districts and a tour to Thirukkadaiyur temple in Nagapattinam district. 

TTDCL also has tours to Yelagiri Hills and Kolli Hills for those interested in hiking and trekking. 

Another interesting package in the bouquet of tours is exclusively organised around places that held importance during the nation's freedom struggle. 

Named 'Freedom Fighters' Circuit Tour,' it takes tourists around places associated with the freedom struggle and memorials and birthplaces of freedom fighters from the state. 

These packages will be launched this month, going by the government order passed on February 29 in this regard, TTDC sources said. 

PTI 
http://zeenews.india.com/news/tamil-nadu/tn-tourism-to-launch-10-special-tour-packages_761698.html

Tamil Nadu Government Takes over Agastiyar Temple in Chennai

January 27, 2012

Magh Shukla Chaturthi, Kaliyug Varsha 5113

CHENNAI, INDIA, January 27, 2012 (Deccan Chronicle): The Agastiyar temple at T. Nagar (central Chennai) that has been managed more as an ashram and a defunct Naadi Jothida Nilayam for about six decades was taken over by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR & CE) department on Wednesday evening citing “gross mismanagement” and “violations.” The temple had its origin as an ashram dating back to 1940 and was registered as a society in April 1943 by 12 persons for running a Naadi Jothida Nilayam. Over time, it became a full-fledged temple and now contains several sannadhis, according to sources in the HR & CE department.

In October 1947, the then commissioner of HR & CE Board brought the temple under the board’s control as per the HR & CE Act 1926. But the decision was challenged in the high court, which set aside the commissioner’s order. The court had then observed that the “board’s premature interference has really arrested the slow and gradual evolution of shrine into a public temple.” Subsequently, the ‘ashram’s’ appeal was quashed.

In June last year. The department’s assistant commissioner held an enquiry at the temple following a spate of complaints from public alleging misappropriation. The official found that the place no longer served as an ashram and that a full-fledged temple functioned. It was also found that Kumbhabhishekam was performed to the temple on three occasions with generous contributions from philanthropists and devotees.

Though the ‘ashram’ management raised funds on various occasion, the accounts were never audited, a senior official said and added that investigations would be made on the amount collected from the public. “The temple has six priests and there was no opposition to the department’s decision to exercise administrative control of the temple from any quarters,” the senior official said.

http://forumforhinduawakening.org/dharma/news/2012/01/28/tamil-nadu-government-takes-over-agastiyar-temple-in-chennai/ 

Temple tanks need help

R.Srikanth and Lavanya.M

Sewage inflow, dumping of waste major issues, says report

CHENNAI: All 34 temple tanks in the city and surrounding areas require renovation work of some kind, as per a status report prepared by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department (HR and CE).

While some of the tanks remain dry in summer, the biggest problem faced in the maintenance of these tanks, according to the report prepared by the department is the dumping of waste and letting of sewage. The present state is due to lack of awareness among public about the crucial role played by these tanks, an official says.

The purpose of temple tanks is not confined to celebrating float festivals. They serve the larger purpose of recharging groundwater. “These tanks have the ability to recharge the surrounding area within a radius of about 500 metres,” says Madhavi Ganesan, associate professor, Centre for Water Resources, Anna University.

“Temple tanks in the city are a mechanism for harvesting rainwater. In a city that receives an annual rainfall of close to 1,200 mm, these tanks can be optimally utilised. The rainwater that falls in the temple and the surrounding areas can be diverted into the tank, and this will help satisfy most of the water requirements,” she says.

Coordinated effort

“The renovation of temple tanks involves a coordinated job. Only with the help of the Chennai Corporation and the Chennai Metrowater, the tanks can be safeguarded,” says an official from HR and CE.

The inlets system of certain tanks is also not well planned as many have been blocked in the face of urbanisation.

“The Marundeeswarar temple tank in Thiruvanmiyur has a stormwater drain directed to the temple without any treatment facility. The tank is now half full of putrid water,” says Sreedhar Subramanian, a member of Valmiki Nagar Residents' Welfare Association.

“Another issue is the clay bed laid as a result of which the temple tank does not seem to act as a percolation tank,” he adds.

Voluntary organisations

But, some of the community members have woken up to the importance of rainwater harvesting and come forward to improve the situation.

The residents near the Arkeeswarar temple in Pammal, pooled in money and with assistance from certain voluntary organisations restored the tank to its original state.

“We have ensured that rainwater that falls in the surrounding areas of the tank is first directed into a smaller tank where the sediments settle down, after which it flows into the temple tank. Before the project, the tank was filthy, but now it is clean and regularly maintained by the authorities. The biggest advantage has been that the water level in wells in the surrounding areas has improved considerably,” says S. Indra Kumar, a resident of Pammal.

http://www.hindu.com/2011/06/13/stories/2011061359550300.htm 

HC criticises collector for 'supporting' encroacher

The HINDU
Mohamed Imranullah S.
Wednesday, Feb 16, 2011


Bench quashes orders passed by Land Administration Commissioner, Collector
‘Contention that the temple is not in need of the land cannot be accepted'


MADURAI: The Madras High Court Bench here on Tuesday criticised the Commissioner of Land Administration as well as Thanjavur Collector for “supporting” an individual who had encroached upon 1,250 sq.ft., of land belonging to Karpaga Vinayagar temple at Vanakkara street in Maharnombu Chavadi for the last 72 years and built a toilet on the property thereby demeaning the sanctity of the place.


Allowing a writ petition filed by one of the temple trustees, a Division Bench comprising Justice N.Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice R.Subbiah directed the encroacher to hand over the land to the district administration within eight weeks. The Collector, in turn, was ordered to give away the possession of the property to the temple authorities within two weeks thereafter.


The Bench also quashed orders passed by the Land Administration Commissioner as well as the Thanjavur Collector on December 20, 2007 and April 25, 2005 respectively. In those orders, the officials had held that the individual, who was in occupation of the temple land for more than seven decades, need not be evicted for the present as the temple was not in urgent need of that piece of land.


The judges wondered how the two officers could take such a view when Board of Revenue as well as the civil courts had given categorical findings against the encroacher. “In the case on hand, the encroacher is promoting his private interest, which is also unfortunately supported by the Collector and the Commissioner who are bound to protect the interest of the temple than supporting the cause of an individual,” they said.


Writing the judgement, Mr.Justice Vasanthakumar also said: “The contention of the District Collector and the Commissioner that the temple is not in need of the land cannot be accepted. The temple lands and the land appurtenant thereto are to be enjoyed by the devotees/worshippers of the temple and it cannot be used by any encroacher, that too, for constructing a toilet.”


In his affidavit, the petitioner, T.K. Saminathan, said that 27 cents of land in Maharnombu Chavadi of Thanjavur town was classified as ‘temple poromboke' during settlement operations when the area was taken over under the Tamil Nadu Estates Abolition and Conversion of Ryotwari Act, 1948. Then, Veerapillai, a bus driver, encroached upon 1,250 sq.ft., of that land.


The matter was taken up with the Tahsildar, Revenue Divisional Officer and the District Revenue Officer. It ultimately culminated in an order passed by the Revenue Board on April 25, 1976 against the encroacher. Subsequently, the Thiruvaiyaru District Munsif Court dismissed a civil suit filed by the encroacher in 1983. An appeal was also dismissed by the Thanjavur Sub-Court in 1986. The High Court too, in 1999, dismissed a second appeal filed by the encroacher. Thereafter, disposing of a writ petition filed by the temple trustee in 2004, the High Court directed the Collector to initiate necessary action on basis of the civil court decrees.


http://www.hindu.com/2011/02/16/stories/2011021651270600.htm 
http://claim-for-commons.blogspot.in/2011/12/news-article-karnatakahc-criticises.html

Temple management institute planned

Special Correspondent

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Nigama-Agama Parishad will be established which will function as apex body for agama schools

Proposed Dharmika Parishad will make policy decisions on temples in the State

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HYDERABAD: An institute of temple management will be set up here to train Endowment Department employees for proper management of temples in the State.

In line with the amendments made to the Endowments Act recently, a Nigama-Agama Parishad will also be established in the city to function as apex body for the existing and future “Agama schools” that offer archaka courses. This apart, a Dharmika Parishad would come up to make policy decisions on temples.

Endowments Minister J. Ratnakar Rao told reporters here on Thursday that in addition to the existing 10 Agama schools in the State, eight more would be opened shortly at Basar, Dharmapuri, Vaikuntapuram, Nalgonda (Venugopala Swamy temple), Kasapur, Kanipakam, Arsavalli and Anakapalle, each attached to a famous temple, with about 20 students each.

Students, on successful completion of the six-year course, would be given Rs 1 lakh in cash each, and appointment orders as archakas.

Policy decision

I.V. Subba Rao, Principal Secretary, Revenue (Endowments), and P. Sundar Kumar, Commissioner, Endowments, who were present, said a policy decision had been taken to ensure free darshan in all the temples, and make coconut and prasadams like laddu, pulihora, for an uniform price of Rs 5 each. A four per cent commission would be allowed to “ksharakarmas” for tonsuring.

Executive officers

Mr. Ratnakar Rao said efforts were on to appoint executive officers to all the 34,000-odd temples in the State, small and big. Already, the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission had been sounded on this.

He put the total income from temples in the State at Rs 300 crore annually.

http://www.hindu.com/2007/12/14/stories/2007121458180200.htm 

Sixteen Temple Renovations Completed in Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI, INDIA, July 2, 2004: The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR and CE) Minister, P.C. Ramasamy, today said kumbhabishekams for 16 temples would be performed as per a revised schedule, after completing the renovation work. Denying reports that kumbhabishekams for 83 temples had been postponed, he said in a statement here that fresh dates had been announced, giving adequate time for completing the ongoing renovation work, as announced by the HR and CE department earlier. Meanwhile, an official release said spiritual personalities and devotees had expressed the view that it would be ideal to conduct kumbhabishekams for temples under the purview of the HR and CE department after the completion of renovation work as per Agama rules. Though the schedule for kumbhabishekams at some temples was already announced, the department had made it clear that the ceremony would be performed as per the revised schedule, only after completing the task of desilting, cleaning and renovating temple tanks.

As per the revised schedule, the following 11 temples are allowed to perform kumbhabishekam on August 22: Ramalingaswamy temple (Shenbaganallur); Thondargal Nainar temple (Tirunelveli district); Santhiveerappan temple (Urayur); Veeraperumal Ayyanar Sastha temple (Pattapuliyur); Kailasanathar temple (Kanniyakudi); Annapoornambika Sametha Ardhanareeswarar temple (Periyapalayam); Anandeeswarar temple (Adanchur); Anandeeswarar temple (Udayakkudi); Varasakthi Vinayakar temple (Chennai-3); Iravatheeswarar temple (Darasuram); and Varasakthi Vinayakar temple (Chennai-18). Five other temples -- Karpagavinayakar temple (Pillayarpatti); Prasanna Venkatesaperumal temple (Gunaseelam); Kapaleeswarar temple (Mylapore); Marundeeswarar temple (Tiruvanmiyur); and Agatheeswarar temple (Panchatti) -- have been permitted to perform kumbhabishekams on March 17, 2005, the release said.

http://hindu.org/blogs-news/hindu-press-international/sixteen-temple-renovations-completed-in-tamil-nadu/4163.html