The CPM-led LDF Government will consider setting up a tantric university in the State to ensure that temple rituals and customs are being followed to the satisfaction of devotees. This was stated by State Minister for Devaswom affairs G Sudhakaran before the Justice Paripoornan Commission.

The three-member commission is inquiring into the corruption and financial misaproppriations in the Travancore Devaswom Board.

Elaborating on this after his deposition, the minister said that the government was seized of the  inefficiency and ignorance that have gripped the tantric community conducting pujas in temples across the state.

The panel had sought the minister’s suggestions to improve the affairs of Travancore Devaswom Board which “is corrupt, has no work culture and no respect for the devotees” according to the panel.

“These priests, the tantris, poojaris and shantis, do not know how to spiritually satisfy devotees. We all know that these people don’t either know how to conduct rituals properly,” the minister said. He said the university would teach them the basics of Hinduism, mantras and rituals through regular courses, orientation and training camps and refreshment courses.

“The Commission has already cited all these flaws in its observations. Now the government has to act. There also has to be a system to check whether the pujas and customs are being done ideally,’’ he told newsmen.