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.