The Madras High Court ordered that the Tamil Nadu government takeover the management of the 1,200-year-old Nataraja temple in Chidambaram. The decks have been cleared for the government management with High Court on Monday dismissing a writ petition filed by the Podhu Dikshitars challenging the State government’s appointment of an Executive Officer (EO) for the temple.
Within 24 hours , K. Krishna Kumar began formally administering the shrine as its new executive officer Tuesday. “All devotees will be able to offer prayers inside the temple uninterrupted. We have served the government’s order, taken over the administration of the temple from the Dikshitars (priests) and are now in control.”
“The Dikshitars have indicated that they will challenge the order after obtaining a copy of the judgement. We will follow the orders of the court,” added Krishna Kumar.
C. Navathandava Dikshitar, who heads a body of the priests, said: “The government took control without the judgement copy on the basis of a faxed order. As we are law abiding citizens, officials have been allowed entry and are running the administration. However, we will be challenging the orders shortly.”
“Our control goes back over 1,000 years and was sanctioned by divinity. Politicians with ulterior motives have now managed to wrest control of our historic temple and are attempting to snatch our livelihood,” he added.
The government alleged that the Dikshitars were mismanaging the temple.
Special Commissioner T.Pitchandi said that the EO would start functioning with immediate effect following the High Court order. He would take over the temple management, including the Dikshitars’ welfare.
[Our HPI correspondent writes: A temporary office is functioning with in the temple precincts and a bank account was opened in it’s name. An officer has taken charge of the responsibilities. The secretary of the dikshidar’s trust is yet to hand over the charge. It is understood that he is not in the town and he may be arranging an appeal on the judgement.]