The Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department stirred the hornet’s nest after it issued summons to Pujaris and archakas for a ‘review meeting’ on Saturday (4th January).
A notice to this effect was issued on 27th December last year by the Commissioner of the HR&CE Department. It called upon subordinate officers to ensure the presence of Pujaris and archakas from ‘prominent temples’ in the review meeting.
“Zonal Joint Commissioners must ensure the participation of the Chief Priests from important temples without fail. Zonal Joint Commissioners are also requested to complete the attached form with details of the Chief Priests attending the review meeting and email it before 01.01.2025,” the notice reiterated.
Who Is @tnhrcedept to ask poojaris and archakas for a meeting?!
— Rangarajan Narasimhan (@OurTemples) January 3, 2025
What does hr&ce to do with the poojaris/archakas?!@tnhrcedept can only supervise the financial adminstration of temples which are you be administered by trustees.
So no poojaris/archakas must go to this meeting,… pic.twitter.com/EAhkH6E4vz
Hindu activist Rangarajan Narasimhan stated that calling Pujaris and archakas for a ‘review meeting’ is illegal and requested the Hindu priests not entertain the whims and fancies of the HR&CE Department.
He asked, “Who is Tamil Nadu HR&CE Department to ask poojaris and archakas for a meeting? What does HR&CE to do with the Pujaris/archakas?”
It must be mentioned that the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department cannot legally force Hindu priests of prominent temples to be present in the ‘review meeting’.
What is the Tamil Nadu HR& CE Department
Unlike most parts of India where a particular temple administration lays down its own rules of conduct, the Hindu places of worship in Tamil Nadu are managed by the State government.
The administrative control is established through the implementation of the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Act of 1959, legislation that was supposed to ensure ‘smooth administration’ and ‘proper management’ of Hindu temples and mutts.
The Tamil Nadu government controls 36635 temples, 45 mutts, 68 temples attached to mutts, 189 charitable endowments, 1721 specific endowments and 17 Jain temples.
Through the ‘Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act’, the State government exercises unprecedented control over the administration, functioning and management of Hindu temples and mutts.
The government appoints the Commissioner, the Joint Commissioner, and the Assistant Commissioner of the HR&CE Department. It is also in charge of the assets of the temples and mutts (both movable and immovable), and controls the finances in the name of ‘improving viability’ and ‘sustained development.’
Moreover, the government solicits money from the same temples and mutts to the range of 1.5%-4% under the garb of annual income audit. Every community (sampradaya) within the Hindu fold has its unique customs and ritualistic way of worship. The community decides the pujaris and the management of the temple.
The Tamil Nadu government overrides this Hindu practice in the name of social equality and appoints archakas of its liking under the HR&CE Act.
To make matters worse, a total of 11 Mutts have lost their character under the supervision of the same Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department. As such, total Mutts in Tamil Nadu have decreased from 56 to 45 as of 2022.
