Thirumayilai Sri Adhi Kesava Perumal Trustees go to Court to recover lands ...

Sri Adhi Kesava Perumal Devasthanam popularly  ‘Kesava Perumal Kovil’ is near Mylai Kapaleeswarar Temple. The temple tank is Chandra pushkarini (sarva theertham) popularly known as Chithirai kulam.  The presiding deity here is Sri Adhi Kesava Perumal and thayar is Mayuravalli – the place itself was historically known as ‘Mayurapuri’. The temple is quite ancient and dates back to centuries. During Ekkattu Thangal Purappadu, Sri Parthasarathi Perumal visits this Temple and has mandagapadi here. (the photo below was taken in the early morning around 3 am during Sri Parthasarathi Perumal digvijayam)

Among the 12 Azhwaars of Srivaishanva Tradition, Poigai Azhwar, Boothath Azhwar and Peyazhwar – were the ones to have descended on this Earth earlier.  They were contemporaries and are praised as “Muthal Azhwars (the first among the Azhwars).  They were born in the month of “Aippasi: in the thirunakshathirams of ‘Thiruvonam, Avittam, Sathayam’ respectively. Sri Peyalwar was born in a tank in Mylapore (thence known as Mylai Thiruvallikkeni).  His birthplace is in the present day Arundel Street in Mylapore.   Thirumazhisai  Azhwar’s mangalasasanam mentions ‘ Neelotham vanthalaikkum Mamayilai Mavellikkeniyaan’ and Kalyian calls ‘Mada Mamayilai Thiruvallikkeni kandene’ – perhaps Mylai & Thiruvallikkeni were conjoint those days. 

I had earlier posted about  Sri Aadhi Kesava Perumal purappadu to Thiruvallikkeni and having  ‘vana bojana uthsavam’ performed at Thiruvallikkeni [photos above].  Today’s Times of India has a report titled “Temple moves HC to recover its land worth Rs.600 Crore”.  Here is the report reproduced  : [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31807&articlexml=Temple-moves-HC-to-recover-its-land-worth-19122014002033]

An ancient temple in Mylapore has started a legal battle to recover prime pieces of land belonging to it, totally measuring about 150 grounds (one ground is 2,400 sqft) and worth more than `600 crore, from their long-time occupants.

Sri Adi Kesava Perumal Peyalwar Devasthanam, represented by its chairman of board of trustees of board of trustees N C Sridhar, has filed a petition in the Madras high court to restrain the present occupants from transferring pattas in their names. The occupants built pucca structures on the lands in the Mylapore-Mandaveli re gion and were in volved in sale-lease transactions, the pet ition said. ition said. Justice V Ramasubramanian before whom the matter came up for admission on Thursday , issued notices to the Chennai district administration and the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department.

According to Maylai Sathya, counsel for the temple, six cawnies (a cawnie is an obsolete unit of land used in Madras and equalling 1.322 acres), six grounds and 63 sq ft (more than 150 grounds in all) stands in the name of the temple. Admitting that the temple didn't have original deeds owing to frequent changes in composition of the board and other reasons, he said the land was now occupied by several people who had built pucca structures.

“Persons in unlawful occupation have been allowed to put up constructions, and there were also attempts to transfer pattas without the consent of the temple,“ he said. Sathya referred to another batch of petitions filed by the occupants, and said that in the guise of seeking basic amenities, they were attempting to obtain water and electricity connections without any legal right or authority . Though municipal and government authorities have enough powers to evict them or even demolish buildings standing on the land, they have not done anything so far, he said.

The petition wanted the court to restrain the authorities from proceeding any further with patta applications filed by the occupants.

This is the sad plight of land and property of many Temples – people trying to usurp temple land and authorities not properly fighting it out; not evicting illegal occupants.  The lands donated to Temple by devotees have been illegally taken over and Temples deprived the revenue –  defeating the very purpose for which such donations were made.  We appreciate the efforts of honest trustees like Sri NC Sridhar and fervently hope that their efforts fructify.

Adiyen Srinivasadhasan.

19^th Dec 2014.