What is the relevance and use of a Ram or Krishna temple in a locality
where Ramachandrans and Ramakrishnans are committing suicide for want of
a few thousand rupees? And what can be more ridiculous than spending
lakhs of rupees on finding what the God wants (by engaging astrologers)
when the piled up wealth in a local temple is providing no comfort for
the material misery of the devotees in the locality? Whatever and how
strong be the argument for and against these propositions, I am fully
convinced that temples became part and parcel of Hindu society only
because it served as ‘Centres for Distribution of Commonwealth’
(CDC) in ancient times. Otherwise, an ism advocating the noble presence
of God in anything and everything in this universe does not need any
specific place for worship. Neither do we need the help of any middlemen
in our transactions with God.
The importance of revitalizing temples as relief centers for those in
distress is becoming a matter of life or death for the believers in a
‘critical’ state like Kerala. The battle for demographic upper hand is
in the final phase and the consequences can be fatal for the ‘majority’
community if the leaders do not realize it even now. To do this, we
should all realize the simple truth that any wealth that does help in
distress is wasted wealth. Most of the temple wealth in India today
belongs to this category. Devotees are dying without food, committing
‘family suicide’ because of debt burden and selling children for living
expenses, when millions and millions are either lying idle in bank
deposits or wasted for gold plating temple masts or making crowns for
the temple deity. Time has come for exploring immediate measures to save
the vulnerable sections of the society from sure death or falling prey
to rival predators with unlimited budgets for ‘soul harvesting’.
Temple Banks & Lands
One of the best ways to utilize the piled up wealth in any place of
worship is to set up banking facilities with provision for extending
loans to the needy devotees. Any devotee who is in trouble and the
temple committee feels need help must be able to get easy loan with no
collateral securities at nominal interest. A true devotee will never lie
in front of the deity and will definitely return the money in better
times. This aspect of faith and devotion must be put to maximum use
while extending life saving loans to the needy. In the best traditions
of Travancore kings, who used to reign on behalf of Lord Padmanabha, the
loan deeds can be executed between the borrower and an authorized office
bearer on behalf of the presiding deity in each temple. This would make
the transaction more divine and binding on the devotees.
There are temples and temples in our country. Some of them are under the
control of the government and some under private management. And there
are many with enormous income and many more with little or no income at
all. Thousands and thousands of acres of land are falling under these
temples in official records, but encroachers are most active in these
lands. For a limited geographical entity with growing population there
is nothing more priced than real estate in a country like ours. Devotees
must realize that protecting temple land is one of their first
priorities. Time will soon dawn when rights will be fixed not only based
on numbers but also on the basis of real estate held by the different
communities in India. Those who are neglecting temple lands will pay a
heavy price then. If there is excess land, it can always been given on
lease or rent to the devotees but strictly on renewal basis every year.
No one should even think of long term lease or any other arrangement.
Religious Education & Exercise
The amount of religious literature and information that is available in
India is unparalleled anywhere in the world. For true researchers, it is
still possible to dig out unseen works which are from different periods
in history even now. Learned men throughout the world have been amazed
at the depth and vastness of knowledge that Indian minds are always
capable of conjuring. All Indians accept Mahabharata and Ramayana as
part of their heritage but no one is willing to teach it to the younger
generation in a systematic way for fear of being stamped as communal. In
this strange scenario, the least expected of temples is to set up
schooling facilities for keeping up these heritages. Temple funds being
utilized for public education should be objectionable, especially when
public money is not involved in it. Just because the secular state is
involved in administration of some temples must not be reason enough for
diversion of temple money for public education. Instead, the money
should go only into education of those interested in heritage
literature, including the remarkable Bhagavad Gita.
Yoga and meditation are the other aspects of Indian heritage that should
be eligible for temple funds. Like temple schools, temple gyms must also
become commonplace. Unlike modern metropolis gyms, the facilities
required for yoga and meditation are very moderate and less costly. What
is required in more intensity is interest and commitment on the part of
the users. If adequate facilities are provided, such temple gyms alone
have the potential to keep the younger folks engaged in constructive
activities. As we have always believed, healthy minds are always found
only in healthy bodies. And the least destructive ones in any nation are
always the most healthy. India is all set to become the youngest nation
in the world by 2020 and popularization of temple gyms can make it the
healthiest one as well.
In very simple terms, temple funds, lands and resources that are lying
unutilized or wasted should be put to best use for the devotees by the
collective will on the part of all those who are concerned about India’s
future. Distribution of wealth through temple coffers must become a
practice once again if we have to combat the twin terrors of terrorism
or take-over. Worship of God in temples must become demystified. Theory
and practice of temple rituals must correlate with contemporary
realities and relative position of Hinduism among world religions. A
golden mast or a sanctum sanctorum in a temple plated with gold will
have true meaning if and only if all the devotees of the temple deity
are living without misery. If we do not realize this, the famed wall of
Indian nation will soon fade off for its real owners to write anything
for their progeny.
Boloji.com is owned and managed by
Boloji Media Inc Privacy Policy |
Disclaimer No part of this Internet site may
be reproduced without prior written permission of the copyright holder.
