Tamil Nadu: Center plans to bring 7,000 Hindu Temples under ASI Control from Current State Govt's Control

Recently Union Minister Prahlad Singh Patel has announced a plan to bring around 7,000 temples in the state of Tamil Nadu under the control of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)

Currently these temples in Tamil Nadu are managed by Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department of Tamil Nadu state government.

HR&CE officials say the Centre also plans to convert temples in places like Mamallapuram into tourist destinations.

A senior ASI officer told The Federal the monuments will be maintained properly if they are taken over by the ASI.

“According to the ASI Act, 1958, if ASI takes control of a temple, it must maintain the status quo of the temple. If regular poojas are performed in the temple, then it must be followed. Likewise, if poojas are not performed in the temple, then it should not be entertained in the future as well,” he said.

While it is expected the ASI can maintain the monuments well, Ramakrishna also pointed out some drawbacks. “If ASI takes a monument under its control, then one cannot build any other structure within 100 metres of the site, and buildings can be built within its 200 metres only after they are granted necessary permission,” added Ramakrishna.

Currently, 413 monuments in Tamil Nadu are under the control of the ASI.

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Dubai: New Hindu Temple to be Built

A new 25,000 sq.ft. multi-faith Hindu temple will be built in Jebel Ali, starting mid-2020. The temple will be an extension of the Sindhi Guru Darbar Temple in Souq Baniyan, Bur Dubai, announced Raju Shroff, an Indian businessman and one of the trustees of the Sindhi Guru Darbar Temple.

The new temple will be constructed adjacent to the Guru Nanak Darbar in Jebel Ali, making the locality a multi-religious corridor in Dubai. "Once complete, there will be several churches, the Sikh Guru Nanak Darbar, and a Hindu temple in the same location," explained Shroff. Temple construction is expected to be completed in 2022.

The new temple will be built in addition to the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi, which is also expected to be completed in 2022.

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Jammu and Kashmir: Replica of the Tirumala Temple to Come Up along the Jammu-Katra Highway

The Jammu & Kashmir administration has agreed in principle to allot 100-acre land along the Jammu-Katra highway to the Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanams for constructing a replica of the Tirumala temple there.

TTD hopes to complete the construction of the temple along with a Vedic School and Hospital in two years time, MP V. Vijaya Sai Reddy who led the delegation of TTD Board said on Monday. 

Mr. Reddy said that funds for constructing the temple, a Vedic school, a marriage hall and a hospital would be raised from devotees and the TTD would also contribute, to the extent possible. Asked about security concerns in the newly formed UT

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Tiruchirappalli: Gold Coin Hoard Found Hidden Beneath Famous Hindu Temple

A hoard of coins has been uncovered at Jambukeswarar Temple. Hundreds of gold coins were unearthed in a pot that could date back over a millennium, to when this area was part of the mighty Chola dynasty . The find is rather mysterious as no one knows how the pot of gold coins got there and its origin. 

The treasure was found near the city of Tiruchirappalli, which is in the state of Tamil Nadu in southeast India. It was made in the world-famous Jambukeswarar Temple. This temple is dedicated to Shiva, one of the principal deities in the Hindu pantheon. 

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Kerala: Muslim couple conducts wedding of adopted Hindu girl in Hindu Temple

A Kerala Muslim couple conducted the wedding of their Hindu foster daughter at a Bhagavathi temple in Kerala, scripting another tale of communal harmony at Kasaragod.

The woman Rajeshwari tied the knot with Vishnu Prasad in the presence of family and friends belonging to both Hindu and Muslim communities.

Abdulla and Khadeeja adopted Rajeshwari after her father who worked at Abdulla's farm died. Rajeshwari's mother also passed away when she was a child.

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