*Seventy-Eight percent of the temples under the control of the HR & CE Department are in shambles. According to activists, its time the government hands over the control of the temples to an independent, politically neutral body. - T.Muruganandam reports: -*

*`They are being run like govt depts' SEVENTY-EIGHT PER CENT OF THE TEMPLES UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE HR & CE DEPARTMENT ARE IN SHAMBLES. *

Some years ago, a devotee tried to reno vate the ancient temple of Lord Ran ganatha at Thirumalpadi near Van davasi. The temple that sits on a hill ock
was totally dilapidated. The devotee went from door to door and begged for money and toiled day and night to get the temple renovated. The
kumbhabhishekham was slated to take place in 2007.

But a local politician interfered and stopped the kumbhabhishekham for his own reasons. Though the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR & CE)
department took action against the politician, he was later let off because of his closeness to top lead ers in Chennai. Rers in Chennai.

RECALLING this incident, A M Rajagopalan (86), editor of Kumudham Jothidam weekly, who was instrumental in the renovation of many ancient temples for
the past few decades, says the government and local politicians instead of acting as force multipliers try to put a spoke in people's initiative.
Individual initiative to renovate temples runs into a virtual wall of government procedural formalities and clearances, testing their will and patience and wasting lots of time, he says.

Kings built most of the temples, but they never intervened in the traditional worship there. Even the Britishers never interfered in the
administration of temples, he points out, strongly arguing for handing over temple administration to a non-political independent body.

According to him, there are 381 temples that are 1,000 years old, 72 of which are very important for their architectural splendor.

After Independence, various political parties started influencing the administration of Hindu temples. Since India was declared as a secular
country, people expected the government to stay off religion and religious institutions. But the opposite has happened.

Rajagopalan says that the HR & CE department does not have infrastructure to renovate and manage all the ancient temples. "Many temples are being run as
if they are government offices.... In all fairness, the Hindu society should be allowed to run the temples according to Agama Sastras and traditional values."
Veteran journalist R S Narayanaswami, who has been researching on temples for over four decades, lays the blame squarely on the successive governments
for impoverishing the temples, resulting in their poor upkeep.

Under the pretext of land reforms, the State drastically reduced the income of temples over a period of time. In 1953, through a legislation, the ratio
of the net produce from the temple lands to be shared between the temples and its tenants was fixed at 60:40. After the DMK assumed office, the ratio
came down to 25:75. Even this low share is not being realized by many temples.

Narayanaswami describes the government's efforts to renovate 48 ancient temples as grossly insufficient. "There is a need for a major scheme for
renovating ancient temples as they are the cultural heritage of our State."

In figures *38,465* temples in the State are controlled by the HR&CE dept that comes under the State government.

*Under the pre text of land reforms, the State government drastically reduced the income of the temples over a period of time* -- NARAYANASWAMI

*30,000* temples are getting less than *Rs 5,000* as annual income. Of these many are in dilapidated state and need funds for renovation, according to
the HR & CE dept's policy note.

A M Rajagopalan says that *there are 381 temples in the State that are 1,000 years old, 72 of which are very important for their architectural splendor.*

*DEMAND TO HAND OVER CONTROL TO AUTONOMOUS BODY*

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