'Release temples from govt control and handover to devotees': Sadhguru appeals to TN political parties

Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, the founder of Isha Foundation, urged the Tamil Nadu Government to free temples from its control, to enable their upkeep, preserve their sanctity and reverse their alarming state of decline in the Southern Indian state. 

"To protect the thousands of temples in Tamil Nadu that are gradually being ruined, the Tamil Nadu government should free temples from the clutches of the government and hand them to the devotees," Sadhguru tweeted tagging Chief Minister Edappadi Palanisamy, Opposition Leader MK Stalin and actor Rajinikanth. 

Quoting the Government Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department’s submission in Court, Sadhguru said, "11,999 temples (are) dying without a single pooja taking place. 34,000 temples are struggling with (revenue of) less than Rs 10,000 a year and 37,000 temples have (appointed) just one person for pooja, maintenance, security etc."

11,999 temples dying without a single pooja taking place. 34,000 temples struggling with less than Rs 10,000 a year. 37,000 temples have just one person for pooja, maintenance,security etc! Leave temples to devotees. Time to #FreeTNTemples -Sg @mkstalin @CMOTamilNadu @rajinikanth pic.twitter.com/cO8XxOmRpm

— Sadhguru (@SadhguruJV) February 24, 2021

The tweets and videos are part of a Twitter thread that Sadhguru has recently released to highlight the state of temples under state control in Tamil Nadu. 

In a video message, Sadhguru called the temples "the source of our Tamil culture," and said that they must be cared for and managed by Devotees who "value temples more than their lives." He termed the desecration of temples “slow poison” adding that he was pained by the neglect and apathy towards these vibrant spaces of worship. 

Sadhguru observed how it was shameful that temples captured for greed by the East India Company 300 years ago, continue to languish in states of utter neglect even 74 years after our independence. "If the same situation persists, all but 10 important temples will not exist in the next 100 years," it was pointed out ominously. 

Pertaining to the term ‘secular’, he stated that it meant state and religion will not interfere in each other’s affairs- a right enjoyed by all religions except the Hindu faith. The Constitution terms India a secular nation. However, though all religions manage their own spaces of worship, the special Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act gives the state control over Hindu temples, he adds. 

Ahead of the upcoming polls, Sadhguru urged political parties in the state to give a commitment to the people to free temples from the slavery of the government. "If we do not protect the temples in this generation, they will be gone in the next 50-100 years.  Temples that are the source and lifeblood of this culture will be completely devastated” he mentioned.