Thread by @cbkwgl

All this was triggered from this article. May be, it’s good that a European subscribed to Indian tradition. But, that’s not what I am interested in. I am more interested in why Thomas Munro is in Mantralayam –

to check whether the Matham really deserves the land holdings. speakingtree.in/blog/sir-thoma…

So, what happened?
As the British started to consolidate everywhere, they tried to find out new sources of income. Their eyes fell on temples. They have noticed three main things –
1.Movable wealth in the form of donations and jewellery

2.Extensive land holdings very near to the temples
3.Temples as a centre for local education
Destroying all three of them was actually something which will further British agenda.
While wars sorted out the movable wealth, they had to fix the other two.

So, what did the British do?
Two bills were passed after surveying.
1.Regulation XIX of Bengal Code, 1810 .
2.Regulation VII of Madras Code, 1817.
Clauses were put to investigate properties of the temples, verify whether they need that land and then grant pattas accordingly.

Next came the Endowments Act of 1863. It allowed the British to set up trusteeship for the temples after taking it over. This allowed the temple/matham wealth to be used for secular purposes piggy banking on it’s choice of trustees and board.
Next came the amendments of 1927.

Using these, the government can take over a temple – meaning, the government can acquire control of the whole wealth of the temple.
So, what are we seeing here?
First, the lands were taken from the temples and a temple is defined as something

which is just a building which survives on donations. It’s no more an ecosystem.
Then came a way to siphon off temple wealth and this was followed by seizing the temple itself.
The sad part is this system is still continued today.

It is no wonder that we saw much missionary activity near temples during the British age using the land seized from the temples – churches, schools or hospitals.
Education was taken care of by using English Education Act 1835 which discouraged native education.

What’s the role of Indian governments under the British?
Notice the sequence.
1891 – Robert Cladwell passes away. He is literally the founder of separate Dravidanadu ideology
1907 – Another proponent, George Uglow Pope left India

1916 – Justice Party founded with explicit anti-Brahmin ideology. This laid the foundation of Dravidian Movement
1920 – Justice Party forms the government
1927 – Madras Endowments Act amended to allow government control of temples

1920s – Corruption allegations against Hathiramji Math leading to taking over of Tirumala temple and forming of TTD board in 1932
It looks like the role of Indian governments is as culpable as that of the British, whatever the reasons are.

So, how do we stand today? Nothing much different. The rump temples are currently classified according to the income they provide to the exchequer and it looks like there is a salary cap placed at 40% of the temple income to be spent on salary of the priest.

Applying the same clause, going by the data on TNHRCE website, of the 38646 temples under TNHRCE control, 34903 have an annual income less than 10000(monthly wages for priests will be a maximum of 333 rupees per month).

No. I cannot round the number as one of the extreme cases is Vilvanathar temple in Pathamadai where the priest gets 19 rupees per month. Wonder what is he going to do with that!!

As if this is not sufficient, there is another round of salt added to the injury.

So, what should we do, then?
These questions arise primarily and it’s time we ponder over them seriously.
1.Should the Endowments Act be extended to all religions or should the church property be seized and reassessed based on 1795 data?

2.Should temples still be under government control? Will the priest of a small temple have a better life if the temple is asked to fend for itself as an individual entity or as a group of temples?

3.Should some level of land holdings be reverted back to the temples so that they can become local nodes for economic development all by themselves?
May be, it's never late for us to realise and take corrective action. Or is it?

A thread over Tamil Nadu Temples. This is more to do with statistics, raising some pertinent questions

https://twitter.com/cbkwgl/status/1043329115493826561

Addenda: Over the management of Tirumala Temple by Hathiramji Math(from a 1931 article).
1. The Matha is very rich
2. The sort of development they did, I don't see any reason why government should take it over for mismanagement
3. The income and wealth of the temple.

I am interested in a specific bit from the above.
1. Does the temple still hold the 4 talks bought? If no, when did it lose control?
2. What was the reason why the temple was taken over? Is it misgovernance/corruption? Revenue and Assets? Demand for more money into govt bonds?