Supreme Court rules against Govt in Thillai Chidambaram Temple; but Govt takes over Ayodhya Mandapam - the same day

For believers, asthigas and Hinduism – the Monday judgment of the Supreme Court quashing the TN Govt Feb 2009 order appointing Executive Officer to manage the affairs and properties of the  Natarajar temple at Chidambaram has come as a big relief. It was no case against the Dikshithars alone….. for long the Govts and the created HR&CE have held Hindu beliefs and the money / property donated by Hindus to their Temples have been held and used against the interests of Hinduism and the wishes of devotees. The devotees were really pained and anguished to note that there had to be a debate and subsequent Govt order that temple premises should not be used for anti-religion, atheist meets …. Can any such thing happen in any property owned / managed  by any other religious bodies ?.......... then, why Hinduism, Hindu temples are always targetted…

On Monday (6^th Jan 2014), a Bench of Justices B.S. Chauhan and S.A. Bobde, allowing a batch of appeals filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy and Podhu Dikshitars against the Madras High Court verdict upholding the GO, held that the right of the Dikshitars to manage the temple could not be taken away by the government. The Bench accepted the contention of the Dikshitars that they were a religious denomination as per the Article 26 of the Constitution “which guarantees right to establish and maintain institutions for religious purposes.” Mr. Justice Chauhan pointed out that the right to administer the temple by the Dikshitars had been recognised by the Supreme Court in its judgment in 1952 and it could not be taken away. The Bench faulted the Madras High Court for re-opening the issue whether the Dikshitars were a religious denomination or not even after the matter had been res judicata (already been decided). On the State government’s contention that it had a right to interfere when there was mismanagement, the Bench said such interference could only be for a short period. Quoting the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, Dr. Swamy argued that if there were allegations of misappropriation, the issue should be dealt with under the provisions of the IPC and not by taking over the temple administration.

One of the earliest documented incidents relating to the status of Chidambaram Natarajar temple or Sabanayagar temple as it is officially known dates back to 1885 ~ and thus a century old tussle has come to an end.   The efforts of Chidambaram Podhu Dikshithars fructified as Dr Subramania Swami fought their cause and won it for them….. even before the asthigas could celebrate comes the news of Govt taking over ‘Ayodhya Mandapam’.

After Nanganallur Anjaneyar Temple, now it is Ayodhya mandapam at West Mambalam.  The government on Monday took over the Ayodhya Mandapam in West Mambalam, sparking protests in the locality. The Mandapam, around 60 years old, functions as a place for religious discourse and concerts. There is no proper temple but the Mandapam has depictions of Rama, Sita, Radha and Krishna and devotees worship in a small shrine in the hall. The Mandapam, the Mithilapuri Kalyana Mandapam, Sri Sitaram Vidyalaya Matriculation Higher Secondary School, and Gnanavapi, are run by the Sri Ram Samaj, a society, which was founded in 1954. A member of the society said that it was not a temple as it did not have a presiding deity or a dwajasthambam (flag mast) and was involved only in conducting religious discourses, and festivals including Ramanavami, Navarathri and Kandasashti.

TOI reports that the Hindu religious and charitable endowments (HR&CE) department took charge of the hall on a petition by a person whose application for membership to the Sri Rama Samajam, which managed the mandapam, had been rejected. The state took over the temple under Section 49(1) of the HR&CE Act.     “The samajam also manages a higher secondary school, a marriage hall and Gnanavapi, where funeral rites are conducted,” said samajam president S Ravichandran. “All the assets have been taken over by the HR&CE department. The department issued an order on Saturday appointing an assistant commissioner to manage the four assets.”

photo courtesy : www.panoramio.com/photo/43052646

The samajam on Arya Gowda Road was formed in 1954 to celebrate Rama Navami. It gradually expanded and constructed a marriage hall, set up a school nearby and Gnanavapi in T Nagar. The officer tried to serve the order on Saturday but could not as the office was locked, said Ravichandran. “The samajam has filed a petition in the Madras high court through its counsel against the takeover,” Ravichandran said.

Volunteers of the Hindu Mahasabha held protests outside the Mandapam after the takeover. The total assets of the samajam are estimated to be worth more than 5 crore. The HR&CE department said it had appointed an official to probe the financial affairs of the samajam.

So another temple, another yardstick as State Govt and its HR&CE try to usurp power and funds of another Hindu religious institutions – which they cannot do elsewhere…. Sad for the Hindus.

7th Jan 2014.

PS : A SMS received (in the evening) from an advocate friend says

 'Madras HC stays the taking over'...............

Chidambaram Natarajar Case : Dr Swamy wins it for Dikshithars

 Chidambaram Natarajar Case :  Dr Swamy wins !!!

Strange is the land……… non-believers and so called atheists will talk only against Hinduism ~ dare not against any other religion !!

The Government will take over the management of the temples, control the revenue … utilize it for all non-religious purposes… still cannot dare think of doing it with any other religion’s places of worship.

wikipedia photo

Chidambaram…….. is famous for the Thillai Natarajah Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva.  This pristine temple has  influenced worship, architecture, sculpture and performance art for over two millennium. The Dikshithars (Thillai vazh anthanargal) have been serving the Lord since many centuries.  Dikshithars follow the Vedic rituals.

The State Govt and its organ HR&CE tried taking over the temple and appointed Executive Officer to manage the affairs of the temple and the properties of Natarajar temple… if the argument that the funds would be streamlined is to be believed – just visit any temple maintained by HR&CE, you can find the state of affairs for yourself…. Also one finds big boards displaying the defaulters – in lakhs and in huge numbers – and to think that the rents are abysmally low……reveals the type of governance and control the HR&CE does ………

Another Good day for Hindus and all need to appreciate the efforts of the ever persevering Dr. Subrahmanya Swami for his efforts in the Apex Court.

A few minutes ago, the Supreme Court has pronounced that TN Govt should not control the temple and handover the control to the traditional Dikshithars.

Full details would follow soon……..this is a pronouncement by the Bench of Justices B.S. Chauhan and S.A. Bobde.  Podu Dikshitars contended that they were a religious denomination as per the Article 26 of the Constitution “which guarantees right to establish and maintain institutions for religious purposes.” The Supreme Court in its judgment in 1952 had recognised their right to administer the Natarajar temple and it could not be taken away. The Podu Dikshitars’ association with the temple was more than 2,000 years old and the task of offering worship and administering the temple was entrusted with them. The failure if any with regard to administration of such properties could not be the reason for interfering with their right to maintain the temple. It was the argument of BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, one of the appellants, that an attempt was made after Independence to bring the temple administration under State control in August 1951 but the Supreme Court had held that the Podu Dikshitars had a right to administer the temple as a religious denomination. Quoting the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, Dr. Swamy said “Section 107 specifically bars the application of the Act to institutions coming under the purview of or enjoying the protection of Article 26 of the Constitution.” If there were allegations of misappropriation, it should be dealt with under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code and not by taking over the temple administration, he argued.

Special thanks to Dr. Swami for this……..

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புதுடில்லி: புகழ்பெற்ற சிதம்பரம் நடராஜர் கோயிலை மாநில அரசு  நிர்வகிக்க சுப்ரீம் கோர்ட் தடை விதித்து தீர்ப்பளித்துள்ளது. சில முறைகேடுகள் நடந்தது என்பதை கருத்தாக ஏற்று கோயிலை அரசு நிர்வகிக்க வேண்டியதில்லை என்றும் நீதிபதிகள் தங்களது உத்தரவில் கூறியுள்ளனர்.

இந்த கோயிலில் முறைகேடு நடந்து வருவதாக சிவனடியார் ஆறுமுகச்சாமி உள்ளிட்டோர் போராட்டம் நடத்தினர். இதனையடுத்து கடந்த 2009 ல் தி.மு.க., ஆட்சி காலத்தில் தமிழக அரசு சிதம்பரம் நடராஜர் கோயிலை அரசு கையகப்படுத்தியது. இது தொடர்பாக சென்னை ஐகோர்ட்டில் வழக்கு தொடரப்பட்டது. இதில் அரசுக்கு சாதகமாக தீர்ப்பளிக்கப்பட்டது.  இந்த தீர்ப்புக்கு எதிராக தீட்ஷிதர்கள், சுப்பிரமணியசாமி ஆகியோர் தரப்பில் சுப்ரீம் கோர்ட்டில் அப்பீல் செய்யப்பட்டது.  பி.எஸ். சவுகான் பாட்டே ஆகியோரை கொண்ட பெஞ்ச் இந்த அப்பீல் வழக்கை விசாரித்தது. இதில் நீதிபதிகள் இன்று தீர்ப்பளித்தனர் . தங்களின் உத்தரவில் :

முறைகேடுகள் நடந்தது என்ற காரணத்திற்காக கோயிலை அரசு நிர்வகிக்க வேண்டியதில்லை. முறைகேடு நடந்திருந்தால் விசாரிக்கலாம். ஆனால் கையகப்படுத்த அதிகாரம் இல்லை. செயல் அதிகாரி நிரந்தரமாக செயல்பட முடியாது. தமிழக அரசு பிறப்பித்த உத்தரவும், சிறப்பு அதிகாரி நியமன உத்தரவும் ரத்து செய்யப்படுகிறது. இவ்வாறு இந்த உத்தரவில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது. இந்த தீர்ப்பு மூலம் தீட்ஷிதர்கள் கையில் இருந்த இந்த கோயில் நிர்வாகம் மீண்டும் தீட்ஷிதர்கள் கைக்கு செல்கிறது.

Source acknowledgement : Dinamalar.

Arulmigu Ellai Amman Temple - Triplicane

Thiruvallikkeni aka Triplicane is a place of Temples – many of them puranic having existed for centuries…..

Somewhat closer to Sri Azhagiyasingar sannathi – via Ganapathi Mudali Street,  Chengalvarayan Street, you reach this temple – a common name in Tamilnadu ‘Ellai Amman” – the God protecting the frontiers of a place… each village, each oor perhaps had God of protection – the Aiyyanars and Ellai Ammans… and perhaps this temple existed when Triplicane was a small colony…

There is an arch on the Triplicane High Road on the small lane leading to this temple and you can come through Sundara Murthi Vinayakar Kovil Street (SMV Kovil Street apparently named after the Sundara Murthi Vinayakar – Pillaiyar kovil in the street, just opposite to the temple)

This is the famous temple of ‘Arulmigu Ellai Amman’…. having an entrance facing east and a dwajasthambam infront of the Society.  As you enter there is Anjaneyar on the wall and Navagrahas installed by the side.  Inside you have Sakthi Vinayagar and Murugar with Valli and Deivanai. 

The presiding deity is of course Sri Ellai Amman to whom abishekams are performed regularly.  There is also the idol of dancing Nataraja.

Here are photos of Arulmigu Ellai Amman Uthsavar… come to the temple on this day = starting day of the New year 2014 and have the blessings of Lord

Allikkeni Mainthan.

another Hindu temple razed in Pakistan... does anybody care ?!?!?

Tando Allahyar is a town in Sindh, Pakistan. It is the capital ofTando Allahyar District. ~ and here is a photo of the temple there known as ‘Ramapir’ temple – these are becoming a rarity or the ones that could be read only in newspapers due to intolerance and hatred of the land….

It is common history that after  Pakistan gained independence from Britain on 14 August 1947, approximately 6 million of the country's minority Hindus and Sikhs had to migrate to India. Similarly, nearly an equal number of Muslims left India to live in Pakistan. Today, only 26 out of Pakistan's 428 Hindu temples exist. The 1998 Census of Pakistan recorded less than 2.5 million Hindus. The overwhelming majority of Hindus in Pakistan are concentrated in the Sindh province. In 1951, Hindus constituted 22% of the Pakistani population;  now the share of Hindus is down to 1.7% in Pakistan, and 9.2% in Bangladesh.

The Sindh kingdom and its rulers play an important role in the  great epic – Mahabharat. Legend has it that the city of  Lahore was first founded by Lava, while Kasur was founded by his twin Kusha, both of whome were the sons of Rama.  The Gandhara kingdom of the northwest, and the legendary Gandhara peoples are also a major part of Hindu literature such as the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Most Pakistani city names (such as Peshawar, Multan) can be traced back to Sanskrit roots.

In Dec last, a 100-year-old temple was  demolished in Pakistan, angry Hindus asked Govt to arrange tickets to India.  PTI Karachi reported on 3.12.12 that a century-old temple in Karachi was hurriedly demolished by a builder despite a Pakistani court hearing a petition seeking a stay on such a move, triggering protests by the minority Hindu community on Sunday. Besides razing the pre-Partition Shri Rama Pir Mandir in Karachi's Soldier Bazar, the builder demolished several houses near it. Nearly 40 people, a majority of them Hindus, became homeless as a result, The Express Tribune reported.   Following the demolition, the Pakistan Hindu Council organised a protest outside the Karachi Press Club

Now today’s Daily Mail carries a news titled :

Pakistan fails to save a Hindu temple... So is anyone really surprised?

By Reema Abbasi 20  December 2013

How is an Islamic place of worship more significant than that of another faith? This question has come to haunt Pakistan now more than ever before.  This week, the Hindu community staged a massive protest at the Karachi Press Club to save the remaining portion of a 100-year-old Mari Mata Temple in the old quarters of Soldier Bazar in Karachi.  This time, a temple was easy prey for commercial gain as opposed to Islamist brutality.  Equality: The priority of Islam in Pakistan has resulted in negligence towards Hinduism in the country

The historic structure was attacked by land-grabbers at the behest of a builder who wants the land for a shopping mall. So far, a portion of the temple has been razed and a dozen Hindu clans that lived in its surrounding area have been forced to evacuate, to subsist under the open sky.

This is not the first Hindu temple to be demolished in the metropolis; another Mari Mata Mandir was brought down last year in the name of commercialism. The Pakistan Hindu Sabha is duly infuriated with the provincial government, the Ministry of Minority Affairs and above all, Sindh's ruling party, the supposedly secular Pakistan Peoples Party.  Each time push comes to shove, all their lofty claims of safeguarding tolerance and equality evaporate.  Hence, the association is left with little choice other than organising mass protests and chalking out a strategy whereby their temple is restored, as are the homes in its area.

It is more than pertinent to mention that the Mata Mari Temple and its plot comes under the Evacuee Trust Protection Board and has existed along with the residents prior to Partition.  For this reason, the Hindu families residing there for over 70 years should have ownership rights to their properties against a nominal fee. There is little evidence to negate the idea that such religious insensitivity has only raised its hideous head after hardliners and madressas mushroomed across the landscape. It seems to have reached a crescendo following cries from popular leaders asking for a peace process with criminals rather than holding them accountable for bloodshed.

Currently, activists and analysts see it as another pretext to generate religious apartheid.  Pakistan's establishment has to recognize the crying need of the hour - to make an example of this criminal incident by hauling up perpetrators, initiating restoration and institutuionalising the most eminent of values - a country that celebrates God must recognize all that is human.

The writer is a columnist based in Karachi

Source : http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-2526609/Pakistan-fails-save-Hindu-temple.html & a couple of photos from : http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/

Below Hindu temples in Pakistan being attacked and demolished............

Kanchi Seers acquitted ~ walks free in Sankararaman murder case

சுமார் 9 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு மேல் நடைபெற்று வந்த காஞ்சிபுரம் சங்கரராமன் கொலை வழக்கில் குற்றம்சாட்டப்பட்ட காஞ்சி மடாதிபதி ஜெயேந்திரர், இளைய மடாதிபதி வியேந்திரர் உள்ளிட்ட அனைவரையும் விடுதலை செய்து புதுச்சேரி சிறப்பு நீதிமன்றம் இன்று  தீர்ப்பு வழங்கி உள்ளது.

The two seers of Kanchi Sankara Mutt, Jayendra Saraswathi and Vijayendra Saraswathi have been acquitted…. Rightfully this should make Hindus happy……

The case relates to the murder of A. Sankararaman, manager of the Sri Varadarajaperumal temple in Kancheepuram in Tamil Nadu that took place on September 3, 2004

The acquittal is for sure a huge relief to the pontiffs of Kanchi Sankara Mutt, Jayendra Saraswathi and Vijayendra Saraswathi, and all the followers of the glorious Mutt.

The Puducherry sessions court this morning acquitted them in the sensational case of murder of a temple official in Kancheepuram in Tamil Nadu. Besides the seers, arraigned as accused 1 and accused 2 respectively in the murder of A Sankararaman, Manager of the Varadarajaperumal temple in Kancheepuram district, 21 other accused were also acquitted by Puducherry Principal District and Sessions Judge C S Murugan. A total of 24 persons were made accused in the case, but one of them, Kathiravan, was killed early this year.

The judge held that the witnesses failed to support the prosecution case that the two Sankaracharyas — Jayendra (78) and Vijayendra (44) -- were part of a conspiracy to eliminate the temple official in September 2004. He also said the witnesses, including Sankararaman’s daughter, failed to identify the accused in the court. None of them identified any accused in the court and no incriminating evidence was made out against the accused, the judge noted.

Arrest during Diwali : The arrest of Jayendra Saraswathi on Diwali day in November 2004 in Andhra Pradesh and later his heir apparent, Vijayendra, came as a big jolt to the Kanchi Mutt and its followers.

The keenly-anticipated judgement was delivered in a packed court hall for which security was beefed up in and around the area.

The scars of the arrest will remain ever as the high seat of Saivaite religion was attacked and Hindus failed to rise as one in condemning.

The believers must have had total faith that their seers will do nothing wrong… that way this will ever remain a sordid episode… Jaya Jaya Sankara .. Hara Hara Sankara...

Report source : The Hindu & Dinamalar.