A major controversy has erupted over the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department’s decision to allocate funds from the Maasani Amman Temple in Aanamalai for the construction of a resort near the Arulmigu Subramania Swamy Temple in Kandal, Ooty.
According to a Dinamalar report, approximately ₹100 crore in offerings made by devotees at the Maasani Amman Temple has been deposited in a bank.
An order dated 2 January 2025 indicates that the HR&CE department has reportedly decided to withdraw ₹13.84 crore from this amount to fund the resort project in Ooty.
The move has been met with strong opposition from the temple’s trustees and devotees, who argue that temple funds should be used exclusively for the maintenance and development of the Maasani Amman Temple itself.
Project Details And Official Approval
Government documents reveal that the HR&CE department received administrative approval for the project under an ordinance issued by the Tamil Nadu government. The plan includes demolishing old residences near the Subramania Swamy Temple and constructing new accommodations along with the resort. The total estimated cost of the project is ₹15.30 crore, with ₹13.84 crore being sourced from the Maasani Amman Temple’s funds.
An official government order dated December 24, 2024, outlines the financial breakdown of the project:
- Civil construction costs: ₹9.61 crore
- Electrical works: ₹1.63 crore
- GST (18%): ₹2.02 crore
- Other charges (supervision, licensing, etc.): ₹57.68 lakh
பொள்ளாச்சி ஆனைமலை மாசாணியம்மன் கோவில் ₹100 கோடி ரூபாய் டெபாசிட் பணத்திலிருந்து, ₹15 கோடியை அராஜகமாக எடுத்து ஊட்டியில் ரிசார்ட் கட்டுகிறது இந்த கேடுகெட்ட அறநிலையத்துறை.
ஏழை பக்தர்களின் காணிக்கை
பணத்தை எடுத்து சொகுசு விடுதி கட்ட முடிவு செய்த, வெட்கம் கெட்ட @arivalayam திமுக… pic.twitter.com/UOUw6iPoSh— M Nachiappan (@BJPNach) March 15, 2025
The government justified the decision by stating that the project falls under broader efforts to improve infrastructure for devotees at major temples across Tamil Nadu.
Allegations Of Political Influence
Opponents of the move allege that the project is being pushed by a businessman with links to the ruling DMK. It is claimed that HR&CE officials are facilitating management changes at the Maasani Amman Temple to prevent resistance to the fund transfer.
Devotees have expressed their outrage, warning that diverting temple funds for external projects could damage the DMK’s reputation in the region. Several petitions have been submitted to the Tamil Nadu Governor and Chief Minister, urging them to intervene and halt the resort construction.
With the term of the current Maasani Amman Temple trustees nearing its end, concerns have been raised over the lack of transparency in the decision-making process. Temple trustees argue that if funds are to be used, they should be directed toward improving facilities at the Maasani Amman Temple itself rather than a separate project in another district.
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