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The Agastiyar temple at T.Nagar that has been managed more as an ashram and a defunct Naadi Jothida Nilayam for about six decades was taken over by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR & CE) department on Wednesday evening citing “gross mismanagement” and “violations.” The temple had its origin as an ashram dating back to 1940 and was registered as a society in April 1943 by 12 persons for running a Naadi Jothida Nilayam.

Over time, it became a fullfledged temple and now contains several sannadhis, according to sources in the HR & CE department.

In October 1947, the then commissioner of HR & CE Board brought the temple under the board’s control as per the HR & CE Act 1926. But the decision was challenged in the high court, which set aside the commissioner’s order. The court had then observed that the “board’s premature interference has really arrested the slow and gradual evolution of shrine into a public temple.” Subsequently, the ‘ashram’s’ appeal was quashed.

In June last year. The department’s assistant commissioner held an enquiry at the temple following a spate of complaints from public alleging misappropriation. The official found that the place no longer served as an ashram and that a fullfledged temple functioned.

It was also found that Kumbhabhishekam was performed to the temple on three occasions with generous contributions from philanthropists and devotees.

Though the ‘ashram’ management raised funds on various occasion, the accounts were never audited, a senior official said and added that investigations would be made on the amount collected from the public. “The temple has six priests and there was no opposition to the department’s decision to exercise administrative control of the temple from any quarters,” the senior official said.

-dc chn