HR&CE carries out inspection of Nataraja Temple

CUDDALORE: The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department officials carried out an inspection of Nataraja Temple in Chidambaram on Tuesday.

The notice served last week informed the Committee of Pothu Dikshithars to keep ready all details related to revenue and expenditure, audit reports and bank passbooks from 2014.

The notice was served a week after the Tamil Nadu Government issued an order permitting devotees to offer worship from the Kanakasabhai mandapam at the temple.

The notice also sought the details of properties of the temple and revenue, present status of the properties, details of donations, jewellery, and other valuable items and their estimates.

The details of land belonging to the temple and lessees and register of lessees were also sought.

Dikshithar Committee said the Endowments Department do not have jurisdiction under Section 107 of the 1959 Act.

Meanwhile, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister PK Sekarbabu said, "Nataraja Temple is a common public temple as per High court verdict. When complaints come to the government, an inspection can be made as per law. Endowment Commisioner gave a notice to temple officials regarding the inspection. Dikshithars opposed the inspection. Since our government works based on law, we inspect the temple. The devotees, priests and temple authorities should not have differences in mindset."

"We are not against Dikshithars. We are doing the inspection in legal way. We are not acting against any law," he added.

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