It is a general tradition for Ayyappa bhakthas to visit temples in and around Tamil Nadu and Kerala after their darshan of Swami Ayyappa at Sabarimala. Among those frequently visited temples is the Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple in Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu.
A shocking incident unfolded at the Srirangam Ranganatha Swamy Temple as devotees, who were chanting ‘Govinda Govinda,’ were allegedly beaten by staff of the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Department (TNHR&CE). Reports suggest that devotees protesting the assault were allegedly swiftly taken away by the police.
This incident, described as a daily occurrence in Srirangam by temple activist Rangarajan Narasimhan, paints a grim picture of the revered temple.
Disturbingly, traces of blood were reported near the moolasthana, adding an ominous note to the incident and raising concerns among devotees. The alleged assault has ignited apprehensions of impending disaster, leaving the temple community in a state of distress.
In the video, the devotees are heard shouting “Police down down” protesting the alleged police action.
Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai posted on his X handle regarding the incident. He wrote, “A government which has no faith in Hindu Dharma has no business to be in Hindu Temples. The Iyyappa devotees who have had 42 days of Vrath, with all devotion, wanted to pray to Ranganatha Swamy after their return from Sabarimala. The Iyyappa devotees questioned the long wait in the queue and special treatment to a select few who were assaulted near the sanctum sanctorum & which resulted in bloodshed inside the Temple premises. This arrogance of the HR&CE department is one of the many reasons why @BJP4TamilNadu has been wanting them out of Temple administration. @BJP4TamilNadu’s Trichy district unit will today hold a protest outside the Srirangam Ranganatha Swamy Temple against the TN HR&CE department, demanding the strictest action against those spoiling the sanctity of the Temple.”
The presence of the HR&CE department has brought only woes to the temple. Even a few days ago, on 8 December 2023, The Commune reported that a lorry, reportedly owned by the Trichy City Corporation, attempted to navigate through the west gopuram (temple tower), causing significant damage to the intricate sculptures. The revered temple, known for its architectural splendour, now grapples with the aftermath of the egregious act.
In August 2023, a section of the eastern entry tower at Srirangam Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple collapsed. Fortunately, the incident occurred when the temple was unoccupied, preventing injuries to devotees. The collapse happened amid ongoing efforts to repair the first and second-level compound walls. Despite demands from the public and social activists for inspections and maintenance, the temple administration had only used planks and poles as a temporary solution. A tender of ₹67 lakh for maintenance had been floated, but with no takers, the temple administration planned to undertake the repairs themselves, a move that now faces increased scrutiny.
Whether it is the maintenance of the temple or respecting devotees, the HR & CE department has failed severely on all fronts. It is time that they let temples be administered by Hindu devotees themselves.
