The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : `Recognise Chilkur temple as a traditional one'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 01, 2006

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

`Recognise Chilkur temple as a traditional one'

Staff Reporter

Sri Swarupanandendra regrets the contentious statements being released against temple archaka

HYDERABAD: It would be appropriate for the Endowment Department to accord recognition to temple system as a traditional and cultural set-up rather than an administrative one, said Dharmacharya Mandali convenor and Visakha Sri Sarada Peetadhipathi Swarupanandendra Saraswathi Mahaswamy on Tuesday.

Sri Swarupanandendra in a statement here regretted the controversial statements being released about Chikur Sri Venkateswara Swamy hereditary archaka Soundara Rajan.

If any one made an allegation against functioning of Chilkur temple or its priest Soundara Rajan, first of all the character and reputation of the individual who made an allegation be scrutinised. If the charges of suspended officers and those of questionable conduct were given credence, the `archaka' system would get eroded in no time, he said.

He also said that "High Court, as I understand, had merely said that a decision be taken on constitution of temple trust board but did not direct for constitution of one."

Advising Soundara Rajan to submit a representation to the Chief Minister seeking exemption to Chilkur temple from the purview of the Endowment Department, Sri Swarupanandendra said he was confident that the Government would consider his request positively. It was time for the department to constitute a committee of peetadhipathis to take decisions on temples.

Temples that spread peace and human values should not be turned into controversial subjects in these troubled times of anarchy and violence. Propriety on part of officials, judiciary and political leaders calls for recognising the difference between administrative set-up and temple system, he said.

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