Chennai: The ancient Sri Dhandayuthapaniswamy temple at Palani (in Dindigul district in the state) is likely to reauction the prasadam stall, even as a section of devotees has demanded the temple administration to operate the stalls rather than lease them to caterers.
Confirming that the prasadam stall would be auctioned through open tender again, a senior official of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR & CE) Department said the public auction in June was cancelled by the temple administration which could not find a “suitable bidder.”
The mention of Sri Dhandayuthapaniswamy temple only brings to one's mind the charming face of Lord Muruga who graces His abode and of course the panchamirtham.
On an average several thousands of devotees visit this renowned temple and during the Sabarimala season, the arrival of pilgrims to the hill temple increases manifold — over 70,000 pilgrims a day. Many buy prasadam specially prepared and sold at the temple.
Expressing concern over the attempts by certain persons with criminal background to bid for operating the stalls, R. Ravikumar, state general secretary of Hindu Makkal Katchi, Tamil Nadu, alleged that a caterer had quoted for Rs 3.25 crore as against Rs 4.6 crore revenue obtained the previous year. “So, this lead to the authorities cancelling the tender,” he claimed.
He maintained that devotees wanted the Dhandayuthapaniswamy temple administration to operate the prasadam stall as being done at the renowned Sri Meenakshi Sundareshwarar temple in Madurai as this would fetch enhanced income to the temple and also ensure employment opportunities to many.
Meanwhile, dismissing a writ petition filed by a caterer, C. Chidambaram, who challenged two of 47 conditions imposed in the May 19 tender notification of the Sri Dhandayuthapaniswamy Temple, Justice M. Venugopal, Madras High Court Bench, held that there was nothing wrong in temples insisting on prior experience while calling for tenders for preparing and selling prasadam within their premises.
