Formed 1960 Headquarters Chennai | Jurisdiction Tamil Nadu | |
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Minister responsible R.Kamaraj, Minister of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department Agency executive Dr.M.Veera Shanmuga MoneyIAS, Secretary to Government | ||
The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department is one of the department of Government of Tamil Nadu which manages and controls the temple administration within the state. Department was constituted
Contents
History
In 1923, Madras Hindu Religious Endowments Act was passed by Madras Presidency. In 1925, the Government constituted "The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Board" consisting of a President and two to four Commissioners nominated by the Government to function as a statutory body. Subsequently, it was modified and in 1960 it became The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department by Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act XXII of 1959 which came into force with effect from 1 January 1960.
From 1991, no religious and spiritual leaders are involved in maintenance and administration of the Hindu Temples and Charitable Endowments. However, the maintenance and administration of the Jain temples are under the administration of Jain religious and spiritual leaders. As the law-allowed minimal rights to Hindu heads are not given in practice, the Hindus have been fighting for their rights to protect against destruction.
The act controls 36,425 temples, 56 mutts or religious orders (and 47 temples belonging to mutts), 1,721 specific endowments and 189 trusts.
Schemes
Annadhanam Scheme is conducted in 518 Temples and 50 to 300 devotees are provided with mid day meals after Uchikala Pooja. In every year Special Rejuvenation camp for mutt and temple elephants to maintain their balanced physical and mental health. Spiritual and Moral Instruction classes were conducted in 485 temples by scholars. Various welfare schemes for temple employees and Nathaswara artists were also performed by this department. This department publishes an electronic magazine called 'Thiru Koil magazine' at its official website.
Temples
Below are the few maintained Temples