Malabar Devaswom Board

Malabar Devaswom Board is a statutory and Independent body created for the governing and management of nearly 1340 temples in South Malabar and North Malabar assigned to it.[1] The board came into existence in its present form on 2 October 2008 following the Madras H.R & C.E (Amendment) Act, 2008 by Kerala Legislative Assembly.[2]

Malabar Devaswom Board
Formation1956; 68 years ago (1956)
TypeTrust
PurposeManagement of 1300 temples
HeadquartersKozhikode
Location
  • Malabar Devaswom Board,Housefed Complex,Eranhippalam PO.,Kozhikode - 673006.
Region
Kerala
Chairman
Sri.M.R.Murali
Websitewww.malabardevaswom.kerala.gov.in

History

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Till Pre-British era temple management was with local members of town. Temple was a place of many cultural activities and social development place with rest houses, cow dwelling places, community halls etc. In Northern Kerala most temples were controlled by aristocratic families with feudal background.[3]

With the passing of Madras Regulation Act in the year 1817, temples were brought under the control of East India Company,a corporate organisation. However, from 1925, temples were brought under government control with the passing of State Religious and Charitable Endowments Act. Under this Act, the state governments exercised power for the formation of Temple Development Boards for major temples with the members from local city. The concept of temple included its premises and wealth and Temple Development Boards for many temples in India are created for the maintenance and governing of the affairs of temple.[4] Thus the temples under Malabar District came under Madras H.R & C.E Act 1926.

After States Reorganisation Act, 1956, the temples in erstwhile Malabar District excluding Lakshadweep and including Kasaragod taluk of South Canara governed by Madras H.R & C.E Act 1926 came under the control of Government of Kerala.[5] The Malabar Devaswom Board came into being in 2008, firstly through an ordinance and subsequently through the amendment of the act.

Organisation

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Temple Development Board includes Chairman,and seven other members appointed by State Government.[6] Malabar Devaswom Board is presently headed by M.R. Murali, a Communist Party of India (Marxist) politician from Shoranur.[7][8]

The temples are managed by a Devaswom Commissioner from Kozhikode. Under the commissioner there are five geographical divisions each headed by an Assistant Devaswom Commissioner namely;

Roles and Responsibilities

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Roles and Responsibilities of Temple Development Board includes the following:[9][10][4][11][12][13]

  • Ensuring performance of rituals.
  • Ensuring accounting of collections.
  • Development and maintenance of temples in other towns.
  • Ensuring security of the temple property.
  • Ensuring welfare of pilgrims.
  • Look after welfare of staff.
  • Hygiene preparation of Prasad.
  • Road Maintenance and drinking water supply in premises.

List of famous temples maintained by the Board

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Following is the list of famous temples maintained by the Board:

Sl No Temple Division Taluk
1 Rajarajeshwara Temple Kasaragod Taliparamba
2 Sree Subrahmanya Swami Temple, Payyannur Taliparamba
3 Muthappan Temple, Parassinikkadavu Taliparamba
4 Srimath Anantheshwara Temple, Manjeshwar Manjeshwaram
5 Ananthapura Lake Temple Manjeshwaram
6 Madhur Temple Kasaragod
7 Trikkannad Tryambakeshwara Temple Kasaragod
8 Madayi Kavu Thalassery Kannur
9 Peralasseri Temple Kannur
10 Kottiyoor Temple Thalaserry
11 Lokanarkavu Temple Vatakara
12 Thirunelli Temple Mananthavady
13 Chinakkathoor Temple Palakkad Ottapalam
14 Valayanad Devi Temple Kozhikode Kozhikode
15 Mammiyoor Temple Malappuram Chavakkad
16 Thirumandhamkunnu Temple Perinthalmanna
17 Kadampuzha Devi Temple Tirur
18 Thirunavaya Navamukunda Temple Tirur
19 Trikandiyur Shiva Temple Tirur
20 Vairankode Bhagavathy Temple Tirur
21 Alattiyur Hanuman Temple Tirur

Sree Parthasarathisaradi Temple Guruvayoor

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "List of Temples Maintained By Malabar Devaswom Board Kerala -". Temples In India Info. 9 July 2017. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  2. ^ "About MDB". www.malabardevaswom.kerala.gov.in. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  3. ^ "Indian govt won't be any different from British if Hindus can't manage their own temples". ThePrint. 8 April 2019. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Why India's temples must be freed from government control". Firstpost. 25 March 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  5. ^ Kuttoor, Radhakrishnan (6 June 2020). "Temples in Kerala set to open doors to devotees on June 9". The Hindu. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  6. ^ "Telangana may not invite PM to Yadadri temple function". Hindustan Times. 21 February 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  7. ^ "Devaswom Board takes over Mattanur temple in Kerala's Kannur". ANI News. 26 June 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  8. ^ "'Letting non-Hindus run Hindu temples a mockery of secularism'". The Sunday Guardian Live. 22 June 2019. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  9. ^ "Malabar Devaswom Board approves five-fold salary hike for temple staff". English.Mathrubhumi. 20 January 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  10. ^ "Tirupathi temple board to build temple, spiritual centre in J&K, gets land lease for 40 years". ThePrint. 1 April 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  11. ^ "Firhad Hakim is chairman of Tarakeshwar Development Board, not Mandir Trust". millenniumpost.in. 21 June 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  12. ^ Mungara, Sunil (7 December 2021). "Hyderabad: Yadadri temple getting ready for inaugural | Hyderabad News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  13. ^ "Jammu: Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board initiates development of 'Shankaracharya temple' in Katra | Jammu News - Times of India". The Times of India. 26 March 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
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