The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department will inspect the Sri Sabhanayakar temple in Chidambaram on June 7, 8. It has issued a notice to the Podhu Dikshitars, who manage the temple, asking them to keep ready documents pertaining to properties and income and expenditure records for inspection.
In a communication, C. Jothi, Joint Commissioner, Cuddalore, who also heads a committee constituted by the Commissioner (HR&CE), said the Podhu Dikshitars should cooperate with the committee that had planned to inspect the records on the above dates at the temple.
The details sought include income/expenditure records of the temple up to January 1, 2014, audit reports for the same period, details of repair works carried out and ASI clearance for them; details of endowments, the properties bequeathed for the same, the income obtained from them and status of the properties; details of offerings; jewellery and other precious items and details of properties and their lease holders.
The Commissioner had constituted seven-member committee comprising officials from the department to set right the administration of the temple and to provide recommendations for the same. This had been done under powers drawn from Sections 23 and 33 of the HR &CE Act, 1959, following complaints from a section of devotees that they were being prevented from having darshan of the deity. Mismanagement of accounts was among other complaints.
Our Cuddalore correspondent adds: When contacted, a spokesperson of the committee of Pothu Dikshithars said they would discuss with legal experts and then decide on the next course of action at a meeting in Chidambaram.
