Kukke temple to adopt two ‘C’ category temples

The ‘A’ category Kukke Shree Subrahmanya Temple in Kadaba taluk will adopt two ‘C’ category temples - Ammaje Sri Durgaparameshwari Temple in Shiradi in Puttur taluk and Bailangady Sri Somanatheshwara Temple in Totattadi village in Belthangady taluk, all in Dakshina Kannada district, Muzrai Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary said.

He was speaking to mediapersons at his office in DC complex on Friday.

Poojary, also district in-charge minister, said that the recent meeting of Religious Endowment Department had decided on the adoption of two aforementioned temples in order to expedite developmental works, with a budget of Rs 50 lakh per temple, within five years.

The decision is subjected to the conditions mentioned in Section 21 (F)(1) and amendment regulations 2012 of Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Religious Endowment Notification 2011, the minister added.

Poojary said applications had been invited from devotees and public for formation of management committees in the temples identified as ‘A’ category in Dakshina Kannada district.

Temple ponds

The tenure of the present management committees will end in March, 2020. The ‘Kalyani’ (temple ponds) and lakes of temples under Religious Endowment Department will be rejuvenated under the programme ‘Jalabhisheka’, he added.

The funds will come from temple revenue, CSR funds of private firms and donors. The works will be completed under MGNREGA and shramadaan (voluntary work), the minister said.

Vedic schools for priests

Poojary said schools would be opened to provide training in Sanskrit, Veda and ‘Agama Shastra’ to priests serving in ‘C’ category temples for a period spanning up to five years.

‘’The schools will be set up by the Endowment Department with help from high revenue generating temples. A committee in this regard will be formed by Religious Endowment Department commissioner. A report has also been sought in this regard,” he added.

The minister said that the department would launch an ‘e-office’ aimed at preservation of movable and immovable properties and documents of 34,562 temples coming under the Religious Endowment Department. Other services in the temples will be managed using ‘e-administration’ comprising e-office, web-based applications and software, he added.