Vikas wrote:I wonder under which Law does the state run the management of the temple ?
Was this inserted in the original constitution ?
I can answer from a Kerala context. The word "secular" was added to our constituition only in the 1970s (Emergency days to be exact?). Most of the states were raised much before this day. So in 1956 when Kerala state was being carved out of Malabar district of Madras Presidency, Cochin & Travancore princely states a big question came on what would happen to the Hindu temples in the princely states. Even to this day, the big & prestigious temple often having very organized way of conducting festivals etc is found in the areas which were once princely states. That was because these temples were managed by the kings. Both the Travancore & Cochin kings were quite progressive and when they handed over their territory, only thing they wanted was a mechanism to run the temple affairs. They wanted the government to protect & manage them the way they did it. So Devaswom Boards were formed for the temples, and the voting rights to place people where restricted to Hindu (born Hindu was enough, so even a commie will fit the bill) MLAs. And there was also a specially formed Devaswom Bench in Kerala High Court who acted like a vigilance body. Judges on the bench were Hindus.chetak wrote:we have lost out on our own community sponsored services, dharmic educational institutions, cultural institutions and the participation of the larger community in religious festivals
In the Malabar district (which is today's North Kerala), Hinduism already was facing tough times. This whole area was over run by Tippu's Islamic hordes and then British took over. Tippu's hordes did the Jehad & conversion part, the British just left things as is and focused on the revenue. So what ever little of Hindu temples was left it was managed by some families who once upon in time had the time, money & material to manage the local temple. After 1960s with the land reforms acts and people slowly moving into newer professions families managing temples also became tough.
And over a period of time with the kind of problems faced in temple management, the whole religious aspect started losing its importance. So today no Hindu child is going to learn any thing about his religion by visiting a temple. The temples have no grand schemes to help the poor & destitute. And 'temple committees' are also more interested in celeberating the annual festival in a grand and pompous manner.
That is very strange and confusing.
... Kujli jee I too am looking at you