HR and CE Minister PK Sekar Babu on Thursday launched the performing of Tamil Archanai (worshipping the deity in Tamil) at Sri Kapaleeswarar temple in Mylapore.
CHENNAI: HR and CE Minister PK Sekar Babu on Thursday launched the performing of Tamil Archanai (worshipping the deity in Tamil) at Sri Kapaleeswarar temple in Mylapore. From Friday onwards, the practice would be followed in 47 key temples across the State, and eventually, it is likely to be extended to 539 temples under the HR and CE department.
Speaking to reporters at the temple, the minister pointed out that performing Archanai in Tamil is nothing new to temples. Five decades ago, in 1971, the then HR and CE minister M Kannappan announced this in the State Assembly, and later, a circular was issued to temples in this regard. In 1998, the then chief minister M Karunanidhi clarified in the State Assembly that there was no plan to ban performing Archanai in languages other than Tamil.
The minister also said a set of 14 books containing holy names of gods and goddesses would be released very soon by the chief minister, and would be distributed to temples for performing Archanai in Tamil.
When asked whether the consecration of temples would be conducted in Tamil, he said, “This would be decided based on the wishes of the local people and as per the Agama Sastras.