The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department (HR&CE) has served a notice on the committee of Pothu Dikshithars, the hereditary custodians-cum-archakas of the Sri Sabanayagar temple, popularly known as Sri Natarajar temple in Chidambaram seeking all details related to revenue and expenditure, audit reports and bank passbooks from 2014 and submit them before a committee scheduled to inspect the temple on June 7 and 8.
The notice issued by C. Jothi, Assistant Commissioner of HR and CE in Cuddalore, who is also the coordinator of the Inspection team, informed the secretary of the committee of Poth Dikshithars that following receipt of several petitions about the administration of the temple, a team had been constituted under Sections 22 and 33 of the HR and CE Act, 1959 to inspect the temple and ascertain whether it was governed as per norms.
The team would go into the administration of the temple and submit its recommendations to the Department.
The notice also informed the committee of Pothu Dikshithars to keep ready all details related to revenue and expenditure, audit reports, and bank passbooks from 2014; details of consecration works carried out in the temple; opinion of the State Department of Archaeology; permission granted by the HR and CE and estimate of the works.
The notice also sought the details of properties of the temple and revenue; present status of the properties; details of donations, jewellery, and other valuable items and their estimates; details of land belonging to the temple and lessees and register of lessees details.
The notice has been served a week after the Tamil Nadu Government issued a G.O. permitting devotees to offer worship from the Kanakasabhai mandapam at the temple. The practice had been suspended following COVID-19 protocols. After devotees had complained about the same, the District Collector had submitted a report stating that worshippers may be permitted to have darshan from the Kanakasabhai mandapam.
When contacted, a spokesperson of the committee of Pothu Dikshithars said that the committee would hold consultations with legal experts and then decide on the next course of action at a meeting of the Dikshithars in Chidambaram.
