No locus standi to inspect records: Dikshithars at Nataraja Temple turn away HR & CE team

The department minister P K Sekarbabu said the government will consult legal experts and ensure that the accounts of the temple are checked

Taking a belligerent stance, the Podhu Dikshithars (hereditary priests) of the famous Natarajar Temple in Chidambaram on Tuesday refused to show records to a visiting team from the Hindu, Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR & CE) department, contending that the latter had no “jurisdiction” to call for records or inspect the premises.

The team comprising five officials from the HR & CE Department, which manages 44,000 temples and trusts in Tamil Nadu, were turned away by the temple administration twice on Tuesday. “The Dikshithars refused to part with any records and the team had to return after a darshan of Lord Nataraja,” a senior government official told DH.

The department had last month sent a letter to the Podhu Dikshithars informing them of an inspection by a team to check the records since 2014 relating to income and expenses, audit reports, and jewels belonging to the 1,000-year-old temple. The letter was sent based on complaints of irregularities in temple accounts.

The Podhu Dikshithars maintain that HR & CE officials have no “locus standi” to inspect the records of the Sri Sabanayagar Temple as it is not a “public temple.” In 2014, the Supreme Court set aside a 2009 Madras High Court order that allowed appointment of an officer by the HR & CE Department to oversee the administration and ruled that Podhu Dikshithars will run the temple.

The apex court’s order drew curtains on the decades-old dispute on who is empowered – the Podhu Dikshithars or the state government – to run the administration of the temple. Though the issue was settled, political parties in the state renewed the demand for HR & CE to take over the temple administration after the DMK assumed office in May 2021.

In their defence of not allowing the team, the Podhu Dikshithars said the HR & CE Department or its authorities do not have such a jurisdiction to automatically call for records or make an inspection "in this denominational temple at will".

“We reiterate that we maintain all accounts and other records as per our bye-laws of our Temple sattam (law),” they said in a statement, adding that they will cooperate to a “validly formed committee that has jurisdiction of verification and audit.”

The refusal of permission for the HR&CE team by the Podhu Dikshithars came after an assurance from the department minister P K Sekarbabu that the government has no intention to take over the temple.

Reacting to Tuesday’s development, Sekarbabu termed the developments as “unfortunate” and said the government will consult legal experts and ensure that the accounts of the temple are checked.

“Refusing permission to the HR&CE team is against manu dharma. It is a public temple and it is the right of the HR & CE Department to look into complaints or irregularities in the temple given by devotees. I personally went to Chidambaram temple on June 6 and explained to them the need for an inspection,” Sekarbabu said.

“Why is it that the temple authorities are not cooperating with the department to enquire into complaints of irregularities? If they have nothing to hide, why is there resistance?” he asked.