CUDDALORE: After seeking suggestions and opinions from the public regarding the Sri Sabha Nayagar (Nataraja) Temple in Chidambaram, the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department received 6,628 petitions on Monday and Tuesday.
These petitions were submitted by post, email, and in person, said an official from the HR&CE office in Cuddalore district, adding that a report based on them will be prepared and submitted to the HR&CE commissioner. Of the 6,628 petitions, 4,101 were received on Monday, and 2,527 on Tuesday.
The department asked for suggestions from the public after it sent a team to inspect the temple on June 7 and 8 but the podu dikshithars, who run the temple, refused to furnish the information they sought.
After the HR&CE department’s Cuddalore district assistant commissioner and inquiry committee coordinator C Jothi asked the public to share their suggestions, Jothi, along with HR&CE temple lands district revenue officer R Sugumar, Vellore district joint commissioner C Lakshmanan, Tirunelveli zone auditing officer Rajendran, and Cuddalore district joint commissioner KP Ashok Kumar, started receiving petitions.
Meanwhile, Pichavaram Zamindar family heir MR Rajasurappa Chozhaganar on Tuesday visited the HR&CE office in Cuddalore and submitted a petition stating that Nataraja temple was built by Iranyavarma Chola and was under the control of Chola kings. “Pichavaram Zamin Poligars are from the Chola dynasty and the temple was managed by my forefathers,” he said, and alleged that dikshithars took over the temple’s management a century ago
Suggestions pour in
HR&CE department’s Cuddalore district assistant commissioner and inquiry committee coordinator C Jothi had asked the public to share their suggestions