Kandasashti festival at Chennai temple delayed as trustees block ticket sales and tenders

Devotees fear this year’s Kandasashti celebrations at the Sri Muthukumaraswamy Temple in Park Town may not happen as scheduled. The temple administration has not begun selling the usual 35,000 Laksharcharnai tickets, each priced at ₹300, despite the archanai being slated to start on November 10. A. B. Srinivasan, a 65‑year‑old devotee, noted that tickets are normally released right after Vijayadasami, but none have been put on sale so far. Saravanan, another regular, said the 99th consecutive Kandasashti festival should feature grand concerts and prasadam including a bucket, yet tenders for pandals, coconuts, bags and flowers have not been called. He added that the executive officer is on leave and a replacement has taken charge.## Festival Details The over‑500‑year‑old shrine is a scheme temple for the Berri Chetti community, managed by a five‑member trustee board appointed last year. The board also handles daily temple affairs.## Administrative Dispute Trustee Sendilvellan claimed the executive officer seized cheque‑signatory authority from the trustees, leaving them unable to pay salaries or run bank transactions. He said the officer acted without informing the board, stripping them of day‑to‑day control. A court order limits the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department’s intervention to issues directly affecting temple conduct. Sources in HR&CE said the trustees refused to pass a resolution for tenders, and the chairman of the board would not sign cheques, effectively blocking the officer’s access to the main account. The trustees appear to be resisting department staff, seeking independent control.## Context Scheme temples in Tamil Nadu are governed by the HR&CE Department, which can step in only when temple operations are threatened. Disputes over financial signatory powers often delay festivals because ticket revenue and procurement are essential for ritual preparations.