[Editor’s Note: This write-up is part of a three-part series on the issue of state control of Hindu temples in India. The first part gave the reader an insight into the legal and constitutional backdrop of the politics of state control of Hindu temples. It established a chronological sequence of the pre-independence and post-independence narratives that shaped the phenomenon of Hindu temples being perennially under state control, even as institutions of other religions have been allowed to function freely without government interference.
This article, the second in the series, will focus on the discursive dimensions of the issue of the state control of Hindu temples in India. We will delve deeper into the dynamics of why Hindi temples need to be freed from state control. The piece argues that Hindu temples are not just places of worship but are the bedrock of Hindu culture and civilization. Thus, the demise of these institutions under the shadow of the state will ultimately lead to the demise of Hindu civilization.]
- State control of Hindu temples in India is often justified through spurious arguments like a. Hindus are so corrupt that they are inherently incapable of managing their institutions independently and b. Since Hindus are apathetic and not competent enough to manage their religious affairs, their religious institutions will collapse if the government opts out.
- State control of Hindu temples goes against the tenets of the Indian Constitution.
- State control of temples prevents Hindus from creating a charitable ecosystem.
- State control of Hindu temples will ultimately “kill” Hindu culture and civilization, speeding up the alarming phenomenon of religious conversion of Hindus.
The saga of state control over Hindu temples in India continues unabated. Temples are not merely places of worship or sites for performing rituals; they are sources of emotional and spiritual sustenance and mediums of creative self-expression for the Hindu community. Temples connect individuals to their community and have served as vital centers of Hindu culture and civilization for ages.
Thus, government control of these institutions is a direct, discriminatory, and offensive intrusion into the religious practices of Hindus. It not only deprives Hindu society of essential resources for charitable purposes but also weakens the core of Hindu belief systems and traditions.
In this article, we pose what we consider one of the most absurd questions: Why should Hindu temples be freed from state control? The question is absurd because the circumstances that compel us to ask it—the unwanted interference by various state and central governments in Hindu temples—should not have arisen in the first place. However, since they do exist, this write-up will present a list of cogent arguments explaining why the current situation must be rectified as a matter of urgency.
Constitutional argument
Article 26 of the Indian Constitution, reproduced below, is crystal clear on the unalienable right of every religious denomination to establish, maintain, and manage their religious institutions, and further, own and acquire property and manage such properties[1]:
Subject to public order, morality and health, every religious denomination or any section thereof shall
have the right—
- to establish and maintain institutions for religious and charitable purposes;
- to manage its own affairs in matters of religion;
- to own and acquire movable and immovable property; and
- to administer such property in accordance with law.
Nowhere in Article 26 is there any role for the State mentioned in any shape or form. Therefore, any and every law, whether State or Central, that has been enacted to take over the administration of Hindu temples is unconstitutional. Furthermore, the fact that such laws only apply to Hindu temples and not to other faiths is discrimination on the basis of religion – plain and simple!
It is, thus, a travesty that the introductory disclaimer in Article 26, which states that the right is “subject to public order, morality, and health,” is often used to justify state control of Hindu temples. Essentially, lawmakers are implying—without any evidence—that Hindu religious institutions would descend into chaos and disorder if the government relinquished control.
Unfortunately, some well-meaning Hindus also suffer from this mental disorder. In a recent interview with the PGurus, Professor R. Vaidyanathan, advocated for the government control of Hindu temples. Suggesting that Hindu temples would fall into chaos and degeneration if the government relinquished control, he argued that, unlike followers of other faiths, modern-day Hindus are not religious enough, contending that most Hindus are indifferent to visiting temples, let alone managing them. Vaidyanathan also averred that corruption would increase significantly if the community managed temples without state intervention.[2]
Such a dystopian portrayal of Hindu society mirrors the old colonial narrative of the “white man’s burden,” albeit with a brown skin version. In fact, Vaidyanathan’s portrayal of Hindus as inherently corrupt and greedy, and unqualified to run their religious institutions reminds one of Winston Churchill’s infamous critique of Indian self-governance:
“If Independence is granted to India, power will go to the hands of rascals, rogues, freebooters; all Indian leaders will be of low caliber and men of straw. They will have sweet tongues and silly hearts. They will fight amongst themselves for power, and India will be lost in political squabbles. A day would come when even air and water would be taxed in India.”
It is high time Hindu society came out of this self-loathing, which is a product of the cumulative colonial consciousness that has infiltrated the English-speaking Hindu elite of India, eroding the foundations of Hindu culture and civilization.
Existential threat to Hindu institutions
In 2020, the government of Tamil Nadu submitted a report to the Madras High Court showing that in approximately 11,999 temples across the state, no rituals or poojas were taking place, and there was no revenue. The report also stated that in 34,000 temples, there was only one person managing the temple affairs. With 37,000 temples recording an annual revenue of less than Rs 10,000 (1200 USD), it is estimated that around 12,000 temples will go extinct in the next few years.[3]
Furthermore, an official statement by the Tamil Nadu government has confirmed that at least 1,200 deities have gone missing or been stolen. “Several police officers have written books claiming that thousands of deities are fake, as the original idols have been stolen and replaced with counterfeits over the last 25 years.”[4]
Moreover, it is estimated that more than 50,000 acres of land belonging to Hindu temples and endowments have disappeared under the Tamil Nadu government’s administration. Many of these lands have reportedly been converted into “secular” or even “anti-Hindu” spaces. Hindu temple properties in the state generate only Rs 200 crore (25 million USD) in revenue under government management, compared to a fair estimate of Rs 6,000 crore (750 million USD) per annum.[5]
The systematic and sustained usurpation of temple funds and deliberate disconnection from Hindu ethos will ultimately result in total extinction of Hindu temples in India, as many media reports have suggested.
Assault on Hindu civilization
Traditionally, the temple ecosystem has functioned as a self-sustaining enterprise, providing sustenance to a diverse group of people, including the priestly class, artisans, and craftspeople. [6]
The secular state’s administration of Hindu temples has disrupted this delicate social, cultural, and economic equilibrium. In most temples under state control, state officials decide all matters related to the appointment of priests and other staff, leaving the Hindu community out of the decision-making process.
This systematic and pervasive assault on Hindu culture and civilization undermines traditional practices. Each temple historically had its own protocol and tradition governing management and duties, rooted in a complex civilizational and cultural ethos. The forced secularization of Hindu temples has stripped the community of these rights.
The founder of the Isha Foundation, Jaggi Sadhguru, encapsulated the situation well in a CNN interview. He emphasized that Hindu temples are magnificent creations of engineering and architecture, built and sustained through the dedication of generations of devotees. Thus, if this legacy is lost, it will be a permanent loss for the Hindu civilization and the world at large:
This is something which has taken generations of people to build in a certain way, particularly in Tamil Nadu. So we must understand the context of these. These are called temple towns not because there is a temple. First the temple, they built the temple, people who built these magnificent temples, they themselves lived in hutments, all right? They didn’t care how they live. This is the sense of devotion with which this has come. Many of these places where these massive granite temples have bene built, there is no stone. They have transported it like 300-400 kms away. When there were no trucks, when there are no cranes, these tones and tones of granite, they brought, and they carved, and they put it up. This has taken 2-3 generations of work. And the way it is consecrated, for example, Chidambaram temple consecrated by Patanjali Maharishi. How can you destroy that? There are many other temples consecrated by Agastya Muni. How can you destroy that? This is a legacy you cannot destroy. But unfortunately, a lot of damage has been done. I think time has come; it should be released. [7]
‘Fox running the henhouse’ syndrome
A secular government running Hindu temples is extremely problematic. Hindu temples are religious institutions, and it is only natural that Hindus with a deep sense of devotion should manage them. Appointing a government administrator with little or no understanding of the temple’s traditions or someone with a Communist ideology critical of Hindu Dharma to oversee Hindu temples is absurd.
Yet, this is precisely what is happening in states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala, where Communist governments are running Hindu temples and setting the rules. Additionally, there has been a disturbing trend in several Indian states recently, with “non-Hindus” being appointed to administrative posts in prominent Hindu temples.
In 2017, the Chief Minister of West Bengal appointed one of her cronies, Firhad Hakim – a Muslim, as the Chairman of the newly formed Tarakeshwar Development Board (TDB) for the 200-year-old Tarakeshwar Shiva Temple in Hooghly district. The government justified the appointment by arguing that Hakim had been appointed Chairman of the temple board, not the Tarakeshwar Mandir Trust. [8]
The lame justification for this decision was that the temple board handles purely developmental aspects, such as infrastructure development and daily maintenance, and not religious affairs. However, such distinction between secular and religious functions is arbitrary when it comes to the management of religious institutions. Since it is the Hindus who donate land and funds to temple administration, they expect their donations to be used for the welfare of the Hindu community, not for “secular” development activities. Appointing non-believers as heads of temple administration defeats the very purpose of these donations.
Due to pressure from the Hindu activist community, Firhad Hakim was eventually removed from the Tarakeshwar Development Authority. [9] However, this is just one such example. Many state governments, in their effort to appear “secular,” are appointing non-Hindus to temple administration boards nationwide. Minority appeasement is a major aspect of Indian politics, affecting all parties.
Stifled Charitable Initiatives
It’s ironic that while Hindus generously donate to various charities, including those run by Christian organizations, they lack the right to directly support the social welfare of their own community.
With their significant funds and revenue, temple management boards could establish schools, hospitals, and other services for the Hindu community. However, since temple administration is controlled by government-appointed secular committees, the donations are often diverted to “secular” projects. Sometimes, these funds are even used by Communist governments to support anti-Hindu activities. In essence, Hindus are being taxed for their devotion – a form of ‘jizya’ in free India!
Temples have traditionally been sanctuaries for the poor and needy, offering regular communal feasts (bhandaras) where no one is turned away. This social welfare function of temples is being eroded by the secular state. Major temples no longer have the autonomy to decide how to use their funds. As a result, the state prioritizes the commercial revenue generated by temples over the well-being of pilgrims and the families of temple priests (pujaris).
It’s strange that while the state allows Muslims and Christians to freely manage charitable activities through their religious institutions, it insists that revenue from Hindu temples should be used for the “common good.” The “majority” tag has become a burden for the Hindu community, as being in the majority seems to strip them of the right to use funds from their own religious institutions for their community’s welfare. Instead, they are being forced to fund the welfare of everyone except Hindus.
Decline of Hindu traditions
Hindu temples have traditionally been rich repositories of Indian culture, supporting music, dance, arts, and crafts under royal patronage. Temple festivals, part of this cultural ecosystem, are being secularized, causing many rich traditions to decline.
State interference in temple management is causing the decline of temple-based professions, argues the Supreme Court lawyer and author Sai Deepak. [10] He cites the example of native martial traditions that have nearly vanished due to their reliance on temple patronage. Additionally, the Akhara system, which supported these traditions, is in crisis. The state lacks interest in sustaining these traditions, as it doesn’t see them as revenue generators, he emphasizes.
Sai Deepak puts into perspective the dilemma of Hindus who literally have no avenues left for the propagation of their culture and traditions since the state has taken over the most vital of energy centers of Hindu consciousness and cultural identity, the temples that is:
The one institution that can perhaps play a role and that has the resources to play a role and fill this particular void is the temple. Between 1959 and 2015, the number of lands or the quantum of lands the state of Tamil Nadu has alienated which belongs to the temples is almost 47,000 acres, alienated without reason, without proper documentation. Imagine if all these lands were put to good use by the temple, leased out at market price and the revenue from that is used to educate Hindu children and you also use the resources to keep Hindu traditions alive through your educational institutions, we can achieve so many objectives in a single shot. (J. Sai Deepak) [11]
If freed from state control, temples could undertake numerous initiatives to propagate Hindu culture. They could set up Vedic pathshalas (schools), offer Sanskrit language courses, teach the basics of Hindu scriptures focusing on the Vedas and Upanishads, and organize discussions on issues related to Hindu Dharma. The possibilities are endless.
However, state control over Hindu temples in India isn’t just about filling state coffers; it’s real agenda is the dismantling the community’s collective spaces to prevent them from forging a common cultural identity.
The destruction of the temple ecosystem has also led to the secularization of many Hindu devotional dance and art forms that traditionally thrived within temples. Classical Indian dance forms like Bharatnatyam and Odissi initially flourished in temples, but the Hindu devotional aspects of these forms are now grossly underplayed, reducing them to mere cultural entertainment. This shift has eroded the deep spiritual and cultural significance these art forms once held.
Religious dance forms unique to Hindu tradition are regarded as supreme acts of sadhana (devotion). These dances, inspired by themes from the Puranas and epics, allow both performer and viewer to transcend their senses. However, modern times have seen Hinduism’s rich cultural legacy deliberately detached. Hinduism is now often seen only as private worship or public temple rituals. This narrowing of our religious imagination leads to the relentless secularization of other modes of worship, including yoga, meditation, art, and dance forms, stripping them of their spiritual significance.[12]
Perpetuation of anti-Hindu narrative
Religious institutions ideally shape the narrative for the communities they represent. However, for Hindus, this right has been taken away, with the state setting the narrative instead.
Sai Deepak points out that successive communist governments in South India have controlled Hindu religious institutions and perpetuated the narrative that temples are exclusive to upper castes and discriminate against so-called “lower castes.”:
In the south, thanks to the political movements since 1917 starting with the Self Respect Movement, the Justice Party Movement, or the Dravidian movement. For good or bad, the temple has been treated as the institution of a single caste, of a particular caste. It has been demonized as an institution of the Brahmin. It has been associated with Brahminism intrinsically and perhaps with some justification because there was a practice of not allowing members of a certain caste to enter these temples. That did happen. Therefore, it was important for the government to step in to ensure the temples are open for everyone.
Be there as it may, the association of the temple with a certain caste is the primary reason that others don’t seem to perhaps have the same sense of hurt or the same sense of concern. The temple as an institution is under attack from multiple directions. Therefore, there is a caste factor that plays in this. But then my sense of history of temples itself has been that every temple has always belonged to one particular community or the other. While it was open to everybody to enter a certain temple, the ownership of a particular temple or the administration of a particular temple has always been held by a particular denomination, not necessarily the Brahmin always.[13]
Thus, the anti-Hindu lobby has managed to distort the history of Hindu temples, propagating the narrative that they are bastions of upper-caste Brahminical privilege. State control of temples has exacerbated this anti-Hindu narrative. Unlike churches and mosques, which are common points of religious identity for Christians and Muslims, temples are portrayed as sites of upper-caste hegemony.
This vicious narrative has obvious consequences. The state uses it as a pretext to take control of more Hindu temples, while the media demonizes age-old temple customs by taking them out of context and fitting them into the caste narrative promoted by the missionary cabal.
On the other hand, there is little to no precedent for the state or media interfering in the traditions of other religious places of worship. Mosques and churches have many regulations that might be considered “anti-women” or “ultra-regressive” by modern standards. Yet, these discriminatory practices face no state scrutiny, highlighting the unique and unjust scrutiny faced by Hindu temples.
Conclusion
Continued state control of Hindu temples is eroding the foundations of Hindu Dharma and civilization, paving the way for large-scale conversions of Hindus to other faiths.
The Christian conversion industry in India operates like a sophisticated corporation, equipped with vast funds and formidable infrastructure, enabling them to reach even the most remote areas. Many marginalized Hindus fall prey to the conversion mafia because missionaries promise and often deliver a better life.
Who among the poor would not desire improved educational and employment opportunities for their children, even if it means converting to another religion? This is how many unfortunate Hindus are trapped into the conversion game. The systematic destruction of the Hindu charitable ecosystem, traditionally sustained through temples, has left Hindu society in India without mechanisms to support its less fortunate members.
If Hindu religious institutions were freed from government control, the community could take vital steps to revive Hindu culture and civilization, thereby supporting the progress and development of Hindu society in various forms. This autonomy would allow for the creation of initiatives that directly benefit the Hindu community, restoring its strength and resilience.
Citations
[1] Article 26: Freedom to manage religious affairs – Constitution of India; https://www.constitutionofindia.net/articles/article-26-freedom-to-manage-religious-affairs/
[2] Prof RV on who should manage India’s temples – YouTube ; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBV4rPOm3LE&t=7s
[3] Why India’s temples must be freed from government control – Firstpost; https://www.firstpost.com/india/why-indias-temples-must-be-freed-from-government-control-9460381.html
[4] Ibid.
[5] Free Temples: Government control of Hindu temples is a violation of the Constitution; https://organiser.org/2023/08/29/192780/bharat/free-temples-government-control-of-hindu-temples-is-violation-of-constitution/
[6] Temples must be liberated from government control – The Sunday Guardian Live; https://sundayguardianlive.com/opinion/temples-must-liberated-government-control
[7] Free Hindu Temples From Govt Control – YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lua5F0T3m70&t=2s
[8] ‘Letting non-Hindus run Hindu temples a mockery of secularism’ – The Sunday Guardian Live; https://sundayguardianlive.com/news/letting-non-hindus-run-hindu-temples-mockery-secularism
[9] Faced with saffron storm, Mamata removes Firhad Hakim from Tarakeshwar Board; https://www.mynation.com/india-news/faced-with-saffron-storm-mamata-removes-firhad-hakim-from-tarakeshwar-board-ptdvwi
[10] Free Our Temples – J Sai Deepak – #IndicTalks – YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ7XdcMFGLI
[11] Ibid.
[12] The Secularization of Hindu dance and art forms – Tattva Heritage; https://tattvaheritage.org/the-secularization-of-hindu-dance-and-art-forms-and-the-role-of-hindu-philanthropy/
[13] Free Our Temples – J Sai Deepak – #IndicTalks – YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ7XdcMFGLI
