The Hindu : Karnataka News : Gopura had no historical value, says seer

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 26, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Gopura had no historical value, says seer

By Our Special Correspondent

Sri Vishvesha Tirtha Swamiji of Pejawar Mutt and the former Minister H. Vishwanath at an interaction in Bangalore on Saturday. — Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash

BANGALORE, DEC. 25. Sri Vishvesha Tirtha Swamiji of Pejawar Mutt in Udupi today defended the demolition of the Kanaka Gopura in the Krishna Mutt (also called temple) in a face-to-face exchange of views with those opposed to the Astha Mutts.

The swamiji offered to make amends to the mutts' stand if anyone proved that the gopura had any connection with the saint and composer of divine music, Kanakadasa.

The swamiji defended the demolition against the arguments of two prominent critics — H. Vishwanath, former Minister and Congress leader, and Ravi Varma Kumar, advocate in the High Court. Mr. Vishwanath is leading an agitation by Kurubas against the demolition. They were participating in an interaction programme organised by the Bangalore Reporters' Guild here on Saturday.

`Only 100 years old'

The swamiji maintained that the gopura was only a century old. It was not Kanaka Gopura and had nothing to do with Kanakadasa or the Vijayanagar Empire, he said. It came to be known as the Kanaka Gopura only after its demolition.

He too would have opposed the demolition if it had any connection with Kanakadasa, the seer said.

He said the demolition was not aimed at insulting any caste or group.

The work on a new tower, which will be 21 metres tall, is progressing and it will be completed soon. The demolition of the gopura is not against the law.

However, if the Archaeological Survey of India or a historian proves that it was of Kanakadasa's time, the new gopura will be named "Kanaka Gopura," the swamiji said.

The agitation is not a solution to the problem, he said and added that legal experts will be consulted to resolve the issue.

Sri Krishna Mutt is part of the Ashta Mutts and is not a public property, the seer said. "It is both Krishna Temple and Krishna Mutt."

A private entity

The Krishna Mutt is a private religious entity and the Department of Religious Endowments and Charitable Institutions has no authority over it. If the Government appoints an executive officer to manage the mutt, other mutts such as Sringeri and Adichunchanagiri should also be brought under such control, he said.

The Ashta Mutts are opposing the religious discrimination practised by the Government. The Supreme Court order too mentioned that the temple is attached to the mutt, the seer said.

Earlier, initiating the debate, Mr. Vishwanath said that according to the Madras High Court and Supreme Court verdicts, the temple is public property and belongs to all Hindus. The Ashta Mutts had no authority to destroy the gopura. All people, including seers, should respect the court orders. He urged the Government to appoint an executive officer to look after the administration, he said.

Mr. Ravi Verma Kumar said the Supreme Court had said that all properties of the temple belonged to Sri Krishna Temple and not to the mutts.

The princely States of Mysore and Cochin and the government of erstwhile Madras State are providing Rs. 13,000 each annually to the temple, he said. There is no documentary evidence to support the argument of the seer that the temple belongs to the Ashta Mutts. It is a temple which belonged to Hindu devotees, Mr. Kumar said.

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