Tamil Nadu

Temple administration asked to stop construction of 32 shops

KARUR: The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department has asked the Pasupatheeswarar temple administration to pull down 32 shops that it was constructing adjoining the temple compound wall in deference to the wishes of the public and devotees who were miffed at the “sacrilege.”

The famed temple, glorified by saint Thirugnanasambandar, is a huge attraction for tourists visiting Karur. A board of trustees appointed by the State government supervises the administration of the temple.

The outer compound wall of the temple rises to a formidable height and the temple administration decided to put up 32 shops measuring 10 feet by 10 feet adjoining the wall on its southern side facing South Mada Valaga Street.

After obtaining due permission and administrative sanction from the Joint Commissioner of HR&CE, Tiruchi Zone, tenders were floated for constructing the 32 shops at an estimated cost of Rs. 4.17 lakh.

The sanction was granted on August 19, 2008 and the temple administration granted the construction order a week later to the successful bidder in the tender.

It was stated that the shops would fetch additional revenue for the temple that was generating a paltry of Rs. 26.60 lakh a year.

Sources claimed that the temple has over 3,000 acres of land but were under lease to several people and the income from them was just more than a pittance.

It was in those circumstances that the Tamil Nadu Deivath Tamil Vazhipaaturimai Paadhukaappu Kootamaippu through its office-bearer V.P.S. Balasubramanian moved the Madras High Court seeking to restrain the temple administration from constructing the shops pointing out that it was wrong to allow commercial complexes adjoining the compound of a historic temple constricting the space for movement and facilitating sacrilege by allowing for commercialization. Shops would efface the wall and the move would violate agama sastras, the Koottamaippu contended.

The temple administration claimed that some people were using the South Mada Valagam for parking their vehicles and miscreants were vandalising the area adjoining the temple compound. Construction of shops would end those menaces, they claimed.

The High Court directed the Principal Secretary /Commissioner of HR & CE to conduct a field inspection and issue directions accordingly.

Following the High Court instruction the Principal Secretary/Commissioner of HR&CE, T. Pitchandi, conducted a field study and ordered recently that the construction of the 32 shops adjoining the temple wall on the South Mada Valagam should be stopped forthwith and that the half-built structures be pulled down immediately.

Also, the Principal Secretary/Commissioner’s proceedings noted that the Joint Commissioner had not sought the necessary permission of the Principal Secretary/Commissioner and relevant procedures had not been followed properly.

The Principal Secretary/Commissioner’s findings saw merit in the petitioner’s arguments morally and legally and hence struck down the order of the Joint Commissioner, Tiruchi, in granting permission for constructing the shops. Instead, it noted that the temple administration would do well to establish a park along the compound and maintain it.

Devotees and public have greatly welcomed the order saying the construction of shops militated against the principles that governed temple procedures.

The Principal Secretary’s order did not come a day too soon and it should sound a warning to all the temple administrations that seek to commercialise temple complexes in crass business mentality, points out a devotee who was in the forefront of the agitation to stop the construction of the shops.

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