The Chennai High Court, stating that the Dikshitars have not properly managed the Chidambaram Arulmigu Natarajar Temple, has ordered the formation of an administrative committee headed by two retired High Court judges to oversee the temple administration.
In the Chidambaram Arulmigu Natarajar Temple, petitions were filed in the Chennai High Court by the general Dikshitars and others challenging the Tamil Nadu government's order permitting devotees to ascend the Kanakasabha and have darshan. Likewise, petitions were also filed supporting the government order.
The bench of judges G. Jayachandran and I. Manoharan, which heard these cases, said that after issuing the order in 2014 handing over the administration of the temple to the Dikshitars, the temple had not been properly managed. It therefore ordered the appointment of retired High Court judges V. Bharathidasan and R. Sureshkumar as chairman and vice-chairman respectively to oversee the administration, retired IAS officer Rajendran as a member, and the secretary of the General Dikshitars Association and the secretary of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department as ex officio members.
This administrative committee has stated that the ancient structures have suffered severe damage due to the successive constructions carried out by the public Dikshitars inside the temple. Therefore, they have ordered that action be taken in consultation with the Tamil Nadu Ancient Monuments Commission regarding the removal of unnecessary structures built without permission that are obstructing the temple’s ancient buildings.
Furthermore, the judges, who directed the administrative committee to take steps to recover temple properties under encroachment with the assistance of the district administration, have also ordered that steps be taken to inventory the properties and recover missing valuable items, and to collect arrears of rent and lease dues on temple properties. They have further ordered that proper accounts and records be maintained for them, and that steps be taken, with the advice of experts, to increase the temple’s income.
For the past 12 years, the public Dikshitars have not submitted a full account of the income received by the temple, the judges noted, and said it is distressing that the temple has not been properly managed by the public Dikshitars.
Ordering that the temple renovation work be carried out without causing damage to the ancient structures and that the consecration ceremony be conducted in accordance with religious rites and traditions, the judges expressed confidence that the administrative committee will soon take all necessary steps to restore the temple’s glory.
The judges have ordered that all government department officials must provide all necessary assistance to the management committee, and that the management committee must ensure equal opportunity for all devotees to stand in the temple’s Kanakasabai and have darshan, as well as to sing Thevaram and Thiruvasagam.