‘No cooperation from dikshithars’: Inquiry committee on Tamil Nadu's Nataraja Temple

CUDDALORE:  After two days of inspections at the Nataraja Temple in Chidambaram, the inquiry committee of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) department informed mediapersons that the podhu dikshithars, who manage the temple, didn’t furnish any details sought by them about the temple. 

On Wednesday, the inquiry committee continued its inspection of the temple for the second and final day, but when officials sought details, the dikshithars informed that they had already made their stand clear in a letter and there is no change (in their stand). The inquiry committee inspected new structures built on temple premises and the goshala. They also took videos of the structures before leaving. 

“During the two days of inspection, the dikshithars didn’t cooperate with us. They didn’t provide any details including accounts, income and expenditure of the temple. A report regarding the inspection will be submitted to the HR&CE commissioner. Based on instructions of higher officials, further legal action will be taken,” said HR&CE District Revenue Officer R Sugumar, who accompanied the inquiry committee. 

He added, “Our department has all the rights to ask for accounts and other details of the temple as it is a Public Temple. As per rules, officials came for inspection and collected the details of temple assets from the tahsildar (temple lands) of the Revenue Department.” Chidambaram RDO K Ravi and Chidambaram sub-division DSP S Rameshraj also accompanied the inquiry committee.

CPM stages stir
Members of CPM organised a protest at the entrance of the Nataraja Temple on Wednesday. They raised slogans condemning the dikshithars for denying details of the temple to the inspection panel. The protestors also demanded arrest of the dikshithars for “stopping  government employees from doing their duty.” They urged the  State to bring the temple under HR&CE control.