HPI
GEORGE TOWN, MALAYSIA, February 5, 2017 (Hinduism Today): Dr. S.P. Sabharathnam, a renowned scholar of Saiva Agamas in Tamil Nadu, has weighed in on the controversy here regarding the Penang Hindu Endowment Board’s new golden chariot which will debut at the February 9th festival of Thai Pusam to Lord Murugan. According to this article, http://www.thesundaily.my/news/2150406, a group called the United Hindu Religious Council citing a “ruling” by the Arupadai Veedu Trust that Murugan temples should not have golden chariot processions. The UHRC spokesperson said the ruling was based on “Hindu Agamic treatises, religious beliefs, norms and practices of Hinduism,” and that chariots should only be made of wood or silver. The Penang Hindu Endowment Board chairman, P. Ramasamy, rejected the ruling, saying Hinduism is pluralistic and there is no central authority.
Dr. Sabharathnam supported Ramasamy’s view: “The ‘ruling’ cited by the United Hindu Religious Council is baseless. After hearing of this issue I reviewed all chapters in available Agamas dealing with the construction and installation of temple chariots and I found no rule preventing the construction of temple chariots with gold, silver or copper or prohibiting the procession of such chariots around the city or village where the temple is situated.”
“It can also not be claimed that ‘Arupadai Veedu Trust is a top authority of the highest order for all Hindu religious matters pertaining to Muruga Perumaan religious-cultural festivities across the world,’ ” Sabharathnam concluded.