As the Karur ‘inam’ lands issue simmers, it is time to revisit the case involving a 1.35-acre inam property belonging to the historic Vadapalani Vengeeswarar Temple in Chennai, where private individuals’ names were added to the land patta alongside the temple’s name.
The property, located on Kaliamman Koil Street, Virugambakkam, is estimated to be worth around ₹100 crore.
A Temple With Vast Land Holdings
The Vadapalani Vengeeswarar Temple, believed to be over 1,000 years old, once owned around 28 acres of inam land in Kodambakkam Revenue Village. At present-day market value, it is estimated that these lands would be worth several thousand crore rupees.
It is alleged that large portions of these lands were sold over the years by the temple’s hereditary trustee. In 2018, an attempt to alienate the temple tank sparked protests by devotees, forcing the move to be dropped.
Following allegations of irregularities in the temple’s administration, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department assumed control of the temple’s management.
The Patta Controversy
Despite HR&CE taking over the administration, devotees alleged that another major irregularity surfaced involving the temple’s 1.35-acre inam land at Virugambakkam.
According to documents cited by activists, the property stood exclusively in the name of Vadapalani Vengeeswarar Temple in revenue records from 1860 until 2021.
However, in 2022, Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) issued a notification to acquire a small portion of the land, about 45 square metres, for the widening of Kaliamman Koil Street.
Devotees allege that on the same day the acquisition notification was issued, the Revenue Department altered the patta by adding the names of several private individuals alongside that of the temple.
A Town Survey Land Register extract that surfaced in 2024 appeared to show the temple’s name along with multiple private names in the ownership details, fuelling allegations that the temple’s exclusive title had been diluted.
Four years after the alleged patta alteration, neither the hereditary trustee nor the HR&CE Department has taken any legal action to restore the temple’s exclusive ownership over the property.
Devotees question why the HR&CE Department has failed to record the land as temple property in the Tamil Nilam land records system or secure a stay against the patta alteration. Questions are also raised over the Revenue Department’s role in adding private names to the patta and whether the change was made in accordance with the law.
Even years after the issue first came to light, devotees continue to demand that the Tamil Nadu government restore the temple’s exclusive ownership in the revenue records, investigate the alleged patta alteration, and fix accountability if any irregularities are found.
கோயில்களின் இனாம் நிலங்கள் அபகரிப்பு (கரூர் கோயில் 3084 ஏக்கர் நிலங்களைப் போல்) பல ஆண்டுகளாக தொடர்ந்து நடத்தப்பட்டு வருகிறது என்பதற்கு பல சான்றுகளைக் காட்டலாம்.
சென்னை வடபழனி வேங்கீஸ்வரர் திருக்கோவிலுக்கு சொந்தமான ரூபாய் 100 கோடி மதிப்புள்ள விருகம்பாக்கம் சொத்து – பட்டாவில்… pic.twitter.com/unRu11tJQA
— Aalayam Kaappom / ஆலயம் காப்போம் (@AalayamKaappom) July 16, 2026
Subscribe to our channels on WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram and YouTube to get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.
