Madras High Court appoints new board to run Chidambaram temple

The Madras High Court ruled that the Podhu Dikshidar community had poorly managed the Chidambaram Sabanayagar Temple since getting its administration back through a 2014 Supreme Court order. A bench of Justices G. Jayachandran and E. Manoharan set up a new Board of Management to bring back the temple's glory.

Board Members

Retired High Court judges V. Bharathidasan and R. Suresh Kumar will serve as the chair and co-chair of the board. Retired IAS officer C. Rajendran will join as a member, while the secretary of the Podhu Dikshidar association and the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department secretary will act as ex-officio members. The chairman, co-chairman, and member will each receive a monthly salary of two lakh rupees along with cars, drivers, and police personal security officers. The board will also get ten lakh rupees for urgent expenses.

Court Findings

The court noted that the priests failed to share true accounts of temple income for the past 12 years and allowed damage to the ancient structure. Judges pointed out that unauthorized buildings caused harm, donations were collected for food programs, and parts of the temple were turned into a food court for non-religious events.

Board Duties

The board must remove illegal structures with help from the Tamil Nadu Heritage Commission and clear land encroachments with district authorities. Their duties also include listing properties, finding missing valuables, collecting unpaid rent, and fixing the temple without changing old structures. Furthermore, the board must ensure all devotees get fair access to holy sights and hymns.

Context

High courts in India occasionally step in to manage prominent religious sites when committees face proven charges of poor administration or financial mismanagement. The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department oversees public temples in Tamil Nadu to protect state religious heritage and ensure proper upkeep.