Kapali Temple Take over by Devotees

Temple Activist TR Ramesh has called for a congregation of Devotees at the Kapali Temple on Wednesday evening at 6pm as part of the 'Own Your Temple' initiative

"Its time to go beyond Voice (Noise)  and Reclaim the Temple from the HR & CE"

                  Photo taken by this writer at the Kapali Temple

One has heard of hostile takeovers in the corporate world. In fact there is one happening currently. There have also been cases including in the recent past of the HR & CE taking over private temples. This one is dramatic and possibly a first of its kind attempt in the temple world.

Temple activist and President of the Temple Worshippers Society TR Ramesh has called for a congregation of devotees at the Kapaleeswarar temple this Wednesday evening at 6pm as part of his ‘Own your Temple’  initiative. Ramesh has for long been a vocal advocate of temples being in the hands of Devotees/Trustees/Mutts and has been vehement in his comments on taking away the power from the HR & CE. 

In his tweet, he says that beyond voicing for FREE Temples, lets move to  Own Your Temple. He has asked for all temple loving Dharmics in the city to be part of the event and to reclaim 'our temples' from Govt. 

In fact on several occasions in the last five years, he has told this writer quoting various sections in the HR & CE act and historical Court judgments that the HR & CE does not have a place in temples. 

EOs role at Kapali Temple

He has repeatedly questioned the locus standi of EOs in temples. Specifically relating to the Kapaleeswarar temple in Mylapore, Ramesh has spoken to this writer on many occasions about the EO not having any role in the temple based on specific sections in the act. It was also Ramesh who insisted on the Trustees, Poonamallee Uyar Thuluva Vellalar Marabinar Sangam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/12/kapaleeswarar-temple-vellala-community.html) getting their due rights on the Board, one that had been taken away about four decades ago.

From Voice and Noise to action on the ground

Thus far these had been in the form of petitions, tweets and stories on this blog. Now Ramesh is going in for the kill!!! On the auspicious occasion of Vinayaka Chathurthi (August 31) and as part of the  ‘Own Your Temple’ initiative (people managing the temple), he is looking to take over charge of the temple away from the hands of the HR & CE and the EO. 

For long, Ramesh has maintained that the HR & CE has no role in the temple affairs except when there is a case of mismanagement and even then to only a limited extent. The Board of Trustees is the one that has to have complete control of the management of the temple. In the High Court order last week, the view that he has held for many years was endorsed with the direction that the HR & CE has no right over the appointment of service personnel in agamic temples and that the trustees are the ones entrusted with those powers.

While this 'on the ground' launch of the ‘Own Your Temple’ initiative will take place in the heart of Madras and in one of the six richest temples in TN, Ramesh says that this is only the first of many such temples they are looking at. Another prominent temple in the city is next in line following the one at the Kapaleeswarar Temple.

It would be interesting to see as to how many devotees take part on this on Wednesday evening and the reaction of the HR & CE.