Defer jewellery verification, say dikshithars of Chidambaram Nataraja Temple

CUDDALORE: The podhu dikshithars of the Nataraja Temple in Chidambaram on Thursday sent a letter to HR&CE department requesting it to postpone the jewellery verification planned next week. 

In the letter, Dikshithars secretary CSS Hemasabesa told C Jothi, joint-commissioner and coordinator of the inspection committee, that they received on Tuesday a letter from the department about the jewellery verification at the Nataraja temple starting July 25. 

Jewellery maintenance at the temple is done by a Kanganam. Currently, however, a few dikshithars who have joint responsibility as key holders were travelling in North India to take part in special poojas. Also, the temple advocate and auditor were also out of town.

As such, the dikshithars requested the department to postpone the inspection and schedule it after the second week of August after a consultation on its date. They also demanded participation of a jewellery assessor of merit on behalf of Thirusuthantirargal during the verification. 

"A copy of the previous verification (2005) report was furnished on July 9 after repeated requests made by dikshithars," said the letter. Dikshithars have already raised objections with regard to the credibility of the report given to them after a delay of seventeen years.