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Huge Reliance donation for Guruvayur temple

George Iype in Kochi

Reliance Industries Limited will finance the reconstruction of the siveli pura inside the Sree Krishna Temple at Guruvayur in Kerala.

But a number of devotees feel that the Sree Krishna Temple, one of the richest temples in the country, should not be at the mercy of the rich and the famous to improve its facilities.

The Rs 13 million Reliance donation for rebuilding the old structure in the temple complex comes thanks Reliance Group Managing Director Mukesh Ambani, a devotee of the Guruvayur temple.

The Ambani family are frequent visitors to the temple. So recently when Mukesh Ambani landed at the Sree Krishna temple, he was upset seeing the siveli pura in a bad shape.

Temple authorities informed him that the old structure required urgent reconstruction. While the temple administration had already procured wood worth Rs 4 million to undertake rebuilding the structure years back, the work on it was yet to begin due to shortage of funds.

Ambani stepped in and offered to pay for the reconstruction. According to Guruvayur Devaswom chairman M Venugopala Kurup, it is the first time that a big industrial house has come forward to finance a big project at the temple.

"We are glad that the Reliance Group has offered to donate the amount required for reconstructing the siveli pura, which is in a bad shape," Kurup told rediff.com.

He said the Devaswom has planned a series of multi-million projects around the temple to improve facilities to thousands of devotees visiting Guruvayur. The projects include an Rs 13 million old age home, a Rs 50 million auditorium and the addition of 15 suites to the VIP guest house.

Asked if it was proper for the temple authorities to ask for funds from corporate houses, Kurup said, "There is nothing wrong in the temple receiving donations whether it is big or small. The temple is a holy place for all people, whether rich or poor. It is a nice thing that big corporate houses are spending money for religious purposes," he added.

But not all devotees agree. According to Karunakaran Nambiar, an ardent devotee, the Guruvayur temple has lost its old glory and pious character because of "its increasing corporatisation."

"I am not against temples getting donations. But why should the temple management ask for huge donations from industrial houses when the temple itself is rich?" Nambiar asked.

The Sree Krishna temple with a depository of 700 pieces of diamonds and 246 kilograms of gold is one of the riches temples in the country. The annual income of the temple from gold deposited with the SBI Gold Bond Scheme alone is more than Rs 3 million.

Sukumaran Nair, another devotee, said the temple is now famous for its VIP devotees and the controversies it has generated on a number of occasions.

"I have fond memories of going to the temple as a child. I no longer feel pious when I go to the temple these days," Nair said.

Recently the temple generated considerable controversy when its chief priest ordered special purification rites after former Kerala home minister and Congress politician Vayalar Ravi's son Ramakrishnan got married there.

The then chief priest Chennas Divakaran Namboodiri claimed that he ordered the purification because he was not sure if Ramakrishnan was a Hindu or Christian. Ravi's wife Mercy is a Christian.

Two weeks back, when Namboodiri relinquished charge, P C Vasudevan Namboodiripad, a scientist who retired from the Defence Research and Development Organisation, took over as the thantri (head priest).

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