The temples of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry and the sites where they are situated are ancient and date back millennia. Given the great antiquity of a lot of these temples, the existing structures are very old. They are in danger of gradual disintegration and eventual destruction. Although some of the structures are built of durable material such as granite and other stone, some others are made of perishable material such as wood and stucco. Even granite and metal structures and idols are prone to erosion and degradation. The sites themselves, apart from the structures there in, are in danger of encroachment by an ever expanding population and unscrupulous elements with political backing So the task of preserving these treasures for a future generation is a challenging and difficult one. It is interesting to explore the issues around this very important issue.
These temples should be preserved and protected not for spiritual and religious reasons alone but also because they are the repositories of vast numbers of artifacts of cultural and historical value. Ancient sculptures, bronze idols, stone inscriptions, palm leaf manuscripts, copper plate inscriptions, etc., are found in these temples and are of immense value to historians, admirers of art and heritage enthusiasts. Some of the temples are veritable museums and the artifacts that they house are invaluable.
Often the ardent devotee doesn’t much care for the artistic and architectural elements. For them the sanctity of the temple and its divine attributes are more important. The importance of the site itself is more significant than any superficial structures that exist there. It reflects the renunciation that is central in Hinduism and especially so in the worship of Shiva that de-emphasizes the value of material things. The proper maintenance of the sanctity of the moorthy and the temple by following agamic rituals according to tradition and reenergizing the mystic powers of the deity by periodic renewal such as the Maha Kumbabishekam or Kudamulukku are of ultimate importance. The Maha Kumbabishekam should be performed every 12 years and involves the repair and renovation of the physical structures and re-consecration of the deities. These rituals are what keep a temple alive. Or else they become just structures and sites devoid of much religious or spiritual significance.They literally die.
To keep theses temples alive they need proper maintenance and administration. Historically temples were constructed, consecrated and maintained by royal patronage with active involvement of the people. Many dynasties throughout history including Pallava, Chola, Chera and Pandyan kings and emperors engaged in this noble endeavour. The temples owned a vast amount of land, both agricultural and commercial, donated to them by the kings and other wealthy benefactors. In medieval times, whole villages and the revenue gathered from them were donated to temples. They also had other forms of wealth including jewels, gold and money donated to them. The income generated from these sources were used to maintain the temple. There was royal or imperial oversight. In colonial times, the system was severely disrupted. Many colonial administrators neglected the proper maintenance of these temples. The colonial administration targeted these temples for tax revenue. The temple lands and properties were heavily taxed. At times of strife and war they were used as armouries and military encampments. Many temples fell in to disrepair. The proper rituals were not performed and many lost their sanctity. Some local elements embezzled the temple assets and encroached the temple lands. Some temples were taken over by unscrupulous elements and even turned into dens of vice. Citing these irregularities, the colonial the British administration took over the supervision of all temples in the areas they controlled. By a series of legal amendments and the post-independence HR and CE Act of 1959, all revenue generating temples in Tamil Nadu except a very few became the sole properties of the Government of Tamil Nadu. They are administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the state government. A similar situation exists in Pondicherry. They are responsible for the maintenance and functioning of these temples. Given the very large number of temples and the bureaucratic nature of the government agency, the preservation of these temples are certainly not ideal.
Some of the temples that are not active are taken over by the Archaeological Survey of India or ASI which is an agency of the Indian Central Government. The temples under its care are of immense artistic and architectural importance and are treated as monuments of national importance. Given the wide scope of the agency which spans the entire country and the vast number of sites under its control, the maintenance is not ideal but creditable. Some other temples that are not active are under the control of the Department of Archaeology the Government of Tamil Nadu.
The challenges to the preservation of the temples are many. They include the following:
Natural elements: The outer structures of the temples are exposed to the elements including rain, wind and the sun. Even granite structures are prone to erosion and other damage. Structures and sculptures, especially those that adorn gopurams and vimanams are prone to fading and disintegration. Many are made of stucco which is not very durable.They have to be maintained or renewed periodically. Another source of damage is from seeds of shrubs often carried in bird droppings and the wind, that end up in nooks and crevices and germinate. The plants and their roots can be very destructive to the structures. Most temples do not have the resources to weed out these plants early.
Human greed: Encroachment by people to steal temples lands and property has always been a problem and continues to be an issue. Temples that were quite large have now shrunken to mere shadows of their original grandeur due to this menace. Embezzlement of temple funds, theft and trafficking of idols are also real problems.
Wilful destruction: Although this was a problem in the past during periods of strife especially during colonial wars, it is not a major problem these days. But isolated incidents do occur, often motivated by greed, religious fanaticism and political expediency. Expansion of infrastructure including roads and highways also lead to destruction of temples. Damming of rivers have led to inundation of some temples.
Careless renovation: Well-meaning folks sometimes engage in renovation of temples without proper guidance from experts. This can lead to accidental and unintentional destruction of ancient structures, art and inscriptions. However on the bright side, such activity keeps the culture of the temples alive. The skill and craftsmanship involved in repairing these temples still exist in these communities.
Despite these challenges, it is of utmost importance that these temples and the art and architecture that they contain be preserved for future generations. This is the accumulated cultural wealth of generations of people who inhabited this land. The temples are part of the cultural identity of the people and have to be preserved.
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