Karnataka - Bangalore

Many `archaks' draw a salary of Re. 1

Staff Reporter

Temples get the same amount as `grant' on special occasions

BANGALORE: Thousands of "archakas" in Hindu temples across the State receive a remuneration of Re. 1 a month, according to the State federation of Archakas-Agamikas and Upadhivanthas.

The federation has urged the Government to constitute a high-power expert committee to suggest amendments to the Karnataka Hindu Religious and Endowment Act. According to it, the recently introduced rules are detrimental to interest of temples and should be withdrawn. It has demanded that the Government constitute an autonomous "Hindu temple consultation committee" with statutory status for protecting temples and monitoring their administration.

Addressing presspersons here on Monday, office-bearers of the federation, including its honorary president Srikanta Murthy and general secretary K.S.N. Dikshit, said the Government should have studied the issue in detail and consulted experts before enacting uniform rules. The Government's intention is to exercise control over Hindu temples by appointing dharmadarshis (board of trustees) to religious institutions, ignoring the repercussions, they alleged. Explaining the plight of archakas, they said men and women from the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes are functioning as archakas besides the traditional Brahmin archakas. Of the 43,217 temples in the State, only 100 are financially sound. The average remuneration for archakas in temples in cities varies from Rs. 1, 000 to Rs. 2,000 a month. The remuneration for those in rural areas vary from Re. 1 to Rs. 200 a month.

The Department of Endowment extends a grant of Re. 1 to temples on occasions such as Independence Day, Republic Day, Gandhi Jayanthi, Ugadi, Shivaratri, Sri Rama Navamai, and Shankranti. It has fixed a salary of Rs. 1 for archakas irrespective the status of temples, the federation office-bearers said.

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