Priests request State to ensure hassle-free conduct of temple rituals

A section of ‘bhattachaaryars’ of Srirangam Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple and its sub temples near Tiruchi besides some ‘sivachaariyars’ of various shrines have jointly appealed to the State government to ensure that there were no interruptions or hurdles in performing rituals at the shrines and to enable them and their heirs to continue with ‘kainkaryam’ at the temples.

Around 300 priests from various temples made this fervent plea to the Minister for Municipal Administration, Urban and Water Supply K. N. Nehru at Srirangam on Sunday. A representation in this connection was given by the ‘Srirangam Koil Miraas Kainkaryaparargal Mattrum Adhanai Saarndha Koilgalin Miraas Kainkaryaparargalin Nala Sangam’ to Mr. Nehru by the priests in front of the Renga Renga Gopuram at the Srirangam temple.

The representation, signed by the Sangam president R. Muralidharan Bhattar, secretary B. Jaganadha Bhattar and treasurer K. Muthukrishnan Pandaari, said there were 330 ‘kainkaryaparargal’ alone in Srirangam temple and its sub shrines at Tiruvellarai and Woraiyur who were wholeheartedly performing the ‘kainkaryangal’ for generations by following the customs and religious practices of the temples. The priests in their representation appealed to the State government to ensure that there were no interruptions or hurdles to them as well as to their heirs in continuing their ‘kainkaryams’ at the temples. They further appealed to Mr. Nehru to take their plea to the notice of Chief Minister M. K. Stalin.

Speaking to reporters later, Selvakabila Sivachariyar of Kabilarmalai said that there were more than one lakh ‘sivachaariyars’ and ‘bhattachaariyars’ who were performing poojas and rituals in temples all over the State. The priests were performing the rituals by duly following the ‘Agama’ and the ‘Vaikanasa Paancharaathra Agama’ in the best manner, he said adding that the priests were carrying out the daily task praying for the welfare of the people not only belonging to Tamil Nadu but all over the country.

Selvakabila Sivachaariyar further said that the representation was given as it concerned the livelihood of more than one lakh priests and appealed to the State government to create an environment which would enable them to perform their tasks till they breathed their last.

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