Ahobila mutt comes under scanner
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Even as sex scandals and complaints of financial impropriety have been flying across the various mutts in the country, thereby eroding faith in such institutions and the godmen controlling their enormous assets, the followers of the famous Sri Ahobila Mutt have renewed their appeal to the Tamil Nadu government to institute a comprehensive probe into the mutt’s books of account.
The conduct of the 45th Jeer, Azhagiya Singar too has come under scanner and the ‘temple protection movement’ led by M.V. Soundararajan has issued an appeal to the mutt followers across the country to protect the sanctity of the wealthy mutt and prevent it from falling into the hands of vested interests.
“The jeer is too old to administer the mutt. A coterie is dominating the central committee running the affairs. Some relatives of the jeer have been given huge funds to set up businesses, including a mineral water unit in Maraimalai Nagar near Chennai”, a prominent mutt follower said, requesting anonymity.
He said the jeer had named his successor two years ago but did not hand over the charge due to pressure from vested interests.
The mutt general manager and power-of-attorney E V Desikan has denied the charges. “There have been several allegations but they are not true. The jeer’s third son has a mineral water plant but we have not given him any money from the mutt”, he told Deccan Chronicle.
But the mutt followers are also worried about reports of indiscriminate money withdrawals and irregularities in the construction of the mutt at Sannidhi Street at a cost of Rs 3.5 crore in Trivellore.
Not much headway has been made in the theft of an idol from the gold sanctorum on April 4 this year.
“A diamond-studded gold crown and 150-gm gold chain adorning the deity have not been found yet.
We want the state hindu religious & endowments board (HR&CE) department to go into all issues, particularly money-related, of the mutt”, said a Mumbai-based mutt devotee.
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