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Should temples be free of govt control?
The controversy pertaining to the adulteration of Tirumala Laddu Mahaprasadam had shaken the entire nation. Deputy Chief Minister and Jana Sena president Pawan Kalyan was the first one to propose the formation of a ‘Sanatana Dharma Rakshana Board’ at the national level following controversy over the adulterated ingredients used in making Tirupati Laddu prasadams.
Continuation of temple administration with Endowments department should continue. But the department should keep close watch on the temple administration and ensure that the established systems are followed.
Temple trusts should not become place for political employment as it happened in TTD in the last five years. Along with it, running Gosalas in the temples should be mandatory.
Dharmapuri Harikrishna, social worker, Nellore city
There is urgent need to remove the supervision of the Endowments department on the temples. Why only Hindu temples should be managed by the government. Hindus are not so incompetent that they cannot manage their temples effectively. They have become rehabilitation centres for political parties. All major temples should have Gosalas with cows which are healthy and can give milk which would be sufficient to make ghee and other products required for the temple.
V Gangadhar, Guntur
Making temples free from government is a good idea. Meanwhile, all Trust Boards starting with TTD should ensure that all non Hindu employees were transferred to other departments. Only those Hindu employees who believe in God and have devotion should be employed in Trust Boards. It is time all major temples plan for having their own Gosalas. Lot of devotees would be willing to donate quality cows so that each temple can have own milk processing units and prepare pure ghee for prasadam. If they have excess quantity, they can even supply to other smaller temples.
Palapati Ravi Kumar, Guntur
Temples should continue to be under the Endowments department and headed by a senior and upright IAS officer. Earlier, temple administration was under the control of revenue department. An RDO cadre officer used to supervise the rituals which were performed according to the Agama Sastras. Cows are sacred animals and it would be apt for all major temples to set up own Gosalas. Devotees are always willing to donate best cows, fodder etc.
Madamanuru Mallikarjuna, Gurukul Retired Head Master, Nellore
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) should establish full-scale Gosala to meet the needs of ghee for prasadams. Protecting cows is an integral part of upholding dharma. It should also be free from State government’s interference. All temples should be allowed to be run by independent boards consisting of real devotees.
Chinna Venkanna Babu, Malakshmi Sametha Venkateswara Swami Peetham, Gadala, Rajahmundry
All the major temples of Andhra Pradesh can have quasi government Devasthanams on the lines of TTD run by an Executive Officer and Trust Board. Only then they can develop on proper lines. The managements should ensure that the temples strictly follow rituals as per Agama sastra. Temples having own Gosalas is a good proposal. But Tirumala having a huge processing centre may be difficult. But strict and non-compromising quality checks should be made by temple authorities so that pure cow ghee is used for prasadams.
C Aruna, teacher, Tirupati
