CHENNAI: Madras high court on Friday observed that podhu dikshitars group have converted the Chidambaram Thillai Nataraja Temple premises into a “food court.” To rectify the malady in the administration of the temple, the court constituted a board of management consisting of domain experts, who will take over the administration, “till the ill is cured.”The board comprises former judges of the court Justice V Bharathidasan and Justice R Suresh Kumar as chairman and co-chairman respectively. Retired IAS officer C Rajendran will be a member while secretary of podhu dikshitars (priestly group) of the temple and Hindu religious and charitable endowments department secretary will be ex-officio members.“The extensive damage to the heritage structure, the defiance to render the true and proper accounts; the collection of donations in the name of ‘annadhanam’ by putting up billboards mentioning the menu of the day… conducting non-religious/commercial activities within the temple thereby converting the temple premises a ‘food court’ and the failure to preserve the properties of the temple imminently warrant judicial interference to rectify the evil of maladministration,” a division bench of Justice G Jayachandran and Justice E Manoharan said.“Hereinafter, all income from the temple properties and kattalais (funds) to be accounted separately and submitted to the board of management on the fifth of every month,” the court added.In respect of daily rituals and periodical festivals, it is the exclusive prerogative of the podhu dikshitars and the same to be conducted without violating the established customs and practices, the court added.The court pointed out that in view of the judgement of the Supreme Court, the administration of the temple is vested with the podhu dikshitars. “However, for more than 12 years the entire income of the temple is with the podhu dikshitars, but they are not ready to share the true and full account of the income derived from the temple,” the court said.“Therefore, we have no hesitation to record that the manner in which the ancient structure of the temple has been damaged and ill-maintained under the management of the podhu dikshitars is disheartening,” the bench added.
