Chennai, Oct 31:
The Madras High Court has appointed an administrative committee headed by two retired High Court judges to oversee the management of the Chidambaram Nataraja Temple, observing that the temple had not been properly administered by the Podu Dikshitars.
A Division Bench comprising Justices G Jayachandran and E Manokaran issued the directions while hearing petitions challenging and supporting the Tamil Nadu government’s order allowing devotees to worship from the Kanagasabai (Kanaka Sabha) inside the temple.
The judges noted that despite the High Court’s 2014 order handing over the temple administration to the Dikshitars, its management had not been satisfactory.
The committee will be headed by retired High Court judge V Bharathidasan as chairman and retired judge R Sureshkumar as vice-chairman. Retired IAS officer Rajendran will be a member. The secretary of the Podu Dikshitars Association and the Secretary of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department will serve as ex-officio members.
The committee has been directed to consult the Tamil Nadu Heritage Commission and take steps to remove unnecessary structures allegedly built without permission inside the temple premises, as they have caused considerable damage to its ancient structures.
It must also take steps, with the assistance of the district administration, to retrieve encroached temple properties, conduct an inventory of temple assets, recover missing valuable articles and collect pending rent and lease arrears.
The judges further directed the committee to maintain proper accounts, improve the temple’s revenue with expert advice and take necessary measures to restore its lost glory.
Pointing out that the Podu Dikshitars had not submitted complete accounts of the temple’s income for the past 12 years, the Bench expressed anguish over the manner in which the temple was being administered.
The court directed that renovation works should be undertaken without damaging the ancient structures and that the consecration ceremony should be conducted in accordance with religious rituals and traditions.
The judges expressed confidence that the committee would take all necessary steps to restore the temple’s past glory at the earliest and directed all government departments to extend full cooperation.
The committee must also ensure equal opportunities for all devotees to worship from the Kanagasabai and sing devotional hymns, including Thevaram and Thiruvasagam, inside the temple, the court ordered.