RIGHT OF TEMPLE ENTRY

,WDSSHDUVWREHDPLQHRIXVHIXOLQIRUPDWLRQRQWKH VXEMHFWZKLFKLVWRGD\HQJDJLQJWKHDWWHQWLRQRIDOO,QGLD Changanachery, K. Parameswaran Pillai B.A., B.L., M.L.A., Retired H igh Court Judge Travancore

RIGHT OF TEMPLE ENTRY

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B.A., B.L. M.L.A.

Nagercoil

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Dedicated to the memory of the late Comrade E.V.R. NAGAMMAL of Erode who worked heart and soul along with her husband Comrade E. V. Ramaswamy for the betterment of the down-trodden masses.

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

India has a rich heritage of tradition and culture which dates back to the beginning of human existence. But unfortunately, most information of the past has not been properly documented. The few books published in the past are not within the reach of the needy, and in the present e-age with its modern communication techniques, many may not find time to preserve our heritage. But a few academicians and historians who may come forward in the future for research studies may lack the needed resources. Keeping this in mind, MJP Publishers has endeavoured to revive the oldest rare books to serve the academic community and the society at large. In this effort, a series of rare books would be republished under the banner, “MJP’s re-series”. These rare books have been carefully selected based on the significance and authenticity of their contents as we perceive. The books in the “re-series” have been recomposed in an elegant style and format to suit the interest of the presentday readers. Only slight modifications have been made for better presentation, and care has been taken to keep this to a minimum and to not affect the contents of the original edition.

viii Publisher’s Note

We hope that the “re-series” books would prove to be of immense help to researchers and general readers to have a better understanding of many important facts and happenings of the past, thus exposing the richness of our culture, tradition and knowledge. We thank Mr. M. Chidambaram Pillai, retired Libarian, for providing valuable information about P.C. Pillai. MJP Publishers

General

ix

AN APPRECIATION

Mr. P. Chidambaram B.A., B.L., one of the pillars of the Selfrespect Movement has sent his book “Right of Temple Entry,” for our perusal. It consists of about 300 pages. With the author of the book, his attainments in law, and his scholarship, etc., as the whole of Tamil Nadu and especially our comrades are fully acquainted there is no necessity to make any lengthy introduction. We have not the slightest hesitation in saying that this remarkable book will be the means of introducing the author and his research, in yet fuller measure, not merely throughout Tamil Nadu but throughout the whole of India. The earlier chapters in the book appeared in “Revolt” the weekly English journal which was then published by us. Much new matter also has been added. At the request of several friends and scholars it has been now published in book form by the author. The book ought to prove an intellectual feast to the Englishknowing public. Each chapter contains in a nutshell as it were, many important and thought-provoking things. From beginning to end, it is interesting and instructive.

x An Appreciation

It may appear to us self-respectors who are indifferent to temples, that the efforts taken by the author in this direction are sheer waste of time. But no arrogant Caste Hindu, no Brahmin lawyer, and no official who has taken the trouble to go through the book will feel any doubt about the right of all classes to enter temples. Many followers of Gandhiji have fasted for this purpose. Very many did Satyagraha. Many have argued it, and some have even entered the Councils to achieve this object. And there is a Bill now on the legislative anvil. The views of organisations and prominent leaders have been invited by Government. If at the present moment, such a treasure of learning and feast of logic, as the book under review were to fall into their hands, we are quite sure that all rightthinking people will proclaim with one voice in favour of temple entry. Not only every member of the English-knowing public, but every Government official, every lawyer, every reformer, nay every Indian should, not only peruse this book by Comrade Chidambaram but own a copy of it. Every household should have one. Even though in the grim struggle that now goes on throughout this country upon this question, there are many who are devoting all their energies upon this fight, the weapon wielded by Comrade Chidambaram is the only powerful weapon which will bring ultimate victory. In conclusion, we add, that if the book were translated into Tamil it will be of the greatest benefit to the whole of Tamil Nadu. E.V. Ramaswamy, Editor “Kudi Arasu” Erode.

General

xi

PREFACE

Most of the earlier chapters appeared in serial form in 1929 in “Revolt” the weekly English journal published by Comrade E.V. Ramaswamy of Erode. Before the whole series could be published, the journal ceased to exist early in 1930. Much water has flowed beneath the bridge since that time and when some friends asked the writer to republish those articles in book form, he was a little diffident about it. So much learning and research had gathered round the subject during the interval as to have necessitated a recasting of the whole matter in order to have some semblance of scholarship about it. On the other hand, there was never any pretence or profession of learning when these articles came to be published; it was intended, as was stated in the opening article, mainly for laymen. The writer has adhered to the original idea and therefore this is merely a reprint with slight alterations, amendments and additions, wherever they were deemed absolutely necessary. The writer thanks Comrade E.V. Ramaswamy for permission to reprint and for encouragement given to the writer to do it. The writer acknowledges his indebtedness to several scholars and histories who have dealt with this and other

xii Preface

cognate matters at great length, notably to Messrs. K. Subramonia Pillay, M.A., M.L., P.T. Srinivasa Iyengar M.A., L.T., S. Srinivasa Iyengar B.A., Paul Appaswamy M.A., Bar-at-Law., J.C. Gosh M.A., B.L., P.R. Ganapathy Iyer,B.A., B.L., V. Nagamiah B.A., and ever so many others. The writer was not able to get at a copy of the Despatch of 1841 of the Board of Directors in England to the East India Company and the connected proceedings by which the British Government came to give up its control over Hindu temples. But a very good idea of what led to such divestment can be had from the extract taken from “A History of Missions in India” by Julius Richter D.D., (Indische Missione-geschichte) and quoted as Appendix A, at the end of this volume. It merely confirms the present writer’s inferences dealt at length in the body of this book. My thanks are due to all my friends who have assisted me in various ways to bring out this book, especially to Mr. M.D. Daniel B.A., the Proprietor of the Alexandra Press, Nagercoil, for correcting the proofs, which proved something of a nuisance to the writer with his inexperience in these matters and with his moffusil professional practice. The temples situated on the West Coast have to be viewed from a slightly different angle even though some general observations contained in this book might be applicable to them also. The writer hopes to cure some defects and many errors which are found in the book in a future edition. P. Chidambaram Pillai

General

xiii

,QUHPHPEUDQFH P. C. Pillai (1887–1951)

P. Chidambaram Pillay, popularly known as P.C. Pillai, was born on February 7, 1887 in the Nagercoil town of the Kanyakumari District of Tamil Nadu. His father Palaniya Pillai was a popular merchant in Trivandrum. P.C. Pillai was a brilliant student right from his school days. He obtained his B.A. degree at an early age. He joined as a lecturer in Maharaja Women’s College in Trivandrum in 1909. Later he obtained his B.L. degree and started his practice simultaneously in the Nagercoil district court and Trivandrum High Court. He was the most popular among the leading advocates of his time. He was offered twice the post of a judge by the government, but he refused the offers because of his deep involvement in serving for the upliftment of the society. P.C.Pillai was closely associated with V.O. Chidambaram Pillay. They often met and exchanged their views. His association with Periyar E.V. Ramasamy in the Self Respect Movement was commendable and he acted as Periyar’s legal advisor. He has delivered speeches in hundreds of Self Respect Conferences.

xiv In Rememberance

He started the Trivandrum Bank and the South Travancore Traders’ Association. He was a member of the Travancore Assembly and served as the Municipal Chairman of the Nagercoil Municipality. He served as either a President or Consultant for almost all associations formed for the welfare of the Travancore Tamilians. He was instrumental in organizing the Mass Movement for a separate district for the Tamilians in the then Travancore State. Later on, this movement resulted in the annexure of Kanyakumari to Tamil Nadu. P.C. Pillai was well-versed in Tamil, Malayalam and English, and was a good writer and orator in all the three languages. He has authored several books in Tamil and English including The Aryans and Dravidians. He published a Tamil weekly Tamilan for many years, in spite of financial loss. In this magazine, he wrote a serial article “Tamil Maagaanam” which was the foundation for the “Thiruthamilar Iyakkam”. His research articles on social reformation were published in leading magazines of his days, like Revolt, Kudiyarasu, and Thiruvithancore Abimani. He published a collection of these articles under the title Right of Temple Entry. This book was banned those days in the Travancore region by the then Diwan Sir C.P. Ramasamy Iyer. He was the founder President of The Saiva Siddhanta Nool Padhippu Kazhagam and served in this capacity until his death in 1951.

CONTENTS

1. General

1

2. Judicial Logic

7

3. In the Days of Chanakya

13

4. Temples and Drinking Saloons were State Institutions

21

5. Legal Confusion

31

6. Temple Revenues are Public Revenues

37

7. Origin of Temple Trustees and their Powers

45

8. Transfer of Control by British Government

53

9. From the British to the Brahmin

57

10. Cosmopolitan Character of Hindu Temples

61

11. Fundamental Tenets of the Agamas

67

12. Who are the Temple Priests?

71

13. Agamas are Cosmopolitan

75

14. Jain and Buddhist Temples also become Hindu Temples

81

15. Architects and Hindu Temples

87

16. Saivism and Smarthaism

95

RIGHT OF TEMPLE ENTRY P Chidambaram Pillay CONTENTS ¹ G e n e r a l

¹ C h a n g e o f C o n t r o l

¹ J u d i c i a lL o g i c

¹ P r o t e s t a n t C h r i s t i a n M i s s i o n s

¹ I n t h e d a y s o f C h a n a k y a

¹ E f f e c t s o f t h e c h a n g e

¹ T e m p l e s a n d D r i n k i n g S a l o o n s w e r e S t a t e

¹ T r a v a n c o r e a n d C h r i s t i a n M i s s i o n s

I n s t i t u t i o n

¹ P u b l i c r i g h t s o v e r w o m e n ? s d r e s s

¹ L e g a lc o n f u s i o n

¹ H i n d u i s m i n T r a v a n c o r e

¹ T e m p l e R e v e n u e s a r e P u b l i c R e v e n u e s

¹ R i g h t s o f t h e C a s t e H i n d u

¹ O r i g i n o f T e m p l e T r u s t e e s a n d t h e i r p o w e r s

¹ T h e T i y a s o f T r a v a n c o r e

¹ T r a n s f e r o f C o n t r o lb y B r i t i s h G o v e r n m e n t

¹ T h e r i s e o f t h e C a s t e H i n d u

¹ F r o m t h e B r i t i s h t o t h e B r a h m i n

¹ O p p o s i t i o n t o T e m p l e e n t r y

¹ C o s m o p o l i t a n c h a r a c t e r o f H i n d u T e m p l e s

¹ T h e C h r i s t i a n a t t i t u d e

¹ F u n d a m e n t a lT e n e t s o f t h e A g a m a s

¹ T h e B r a h m i n i n T r a v a n c o r e

¹ W h o a r e t h e t e m p l e P r i e s t s ?

¹ T h e K a m u d iT e m p l e c a s e

¹ A g a m a s a r e C o s m o p o l i t a n

¹ T h e K a m u d iT e m p l e c a s e ( c o n t i n u e d )

¹ J a i n a n d B u d d h i s t T e m p l e s a l s o b e c o m e

¹ T h e K a m u d iT e m p l e c a s e ( c o n t i n u e d )

H i n d u T e m p l e s ¹ A r c h i t e c t s a n d H i n d u T e m p l e s ¹ S a i v i s m & S m a r t h a i s m ¹ W h o i s a H i n d u ? ¹ C h r i s t i a n i t y a n d H i n d u i s m

¹ P r o f e s s i o n a lR e s t r i c t i o n s t o T e m p l e e n t r y ¹ A l l i e d P r o b l e m s ¹ R i g h t h a n d a n d l e f t h a n d f a c t i o n s ¹ T h e O r i g i n o f t h e f a c t i o n s ¹ L a w y e r s : H i n d u a n d M a h o m e d a n

I SBN 81 - 8094 - 039 -X

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