Amendment to bring Puri’s Govardhan Mutt out of Odisha government control moved

The other three Hindu monasteries of Dwarka, Shringeri and Joshimath, established by Adi Shankaracharya, are managed by their Shankaracharyas and are not under government control.

Law minister Pratap Jena said the amendment to the Hindu Religious Endowment Act, 1951 was being brought keeping in mind the “religious pre-eminence and importance” of the Govardhan Math and will exclude it from the “religious institutions” defined under the act.

Set up in the 9th century, the Govardhan Math is the oldest Math in Puri and one of the four important Hindu ‘dhamas’ (holy abodes) established by Adi Shankaracharya.

The State government indirectly controlled the Puri Math since Lord Jagannath, who is the religious owner of the Math’s properties, is considered a perpetual minor.

The state controls over 16000 temples and 450 Maths or Hindu monasteries through government appointed trustees and Mahants (priests) for the day-to-day management and is the sole arbiter as regards to the sale of Math properties.

Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati has for long opposed state control of temples and Mutts alleging that it resulted in their mismanagement and decline of the Hindu religion.

“The bureaucrats managing the temples and Mutts are involved in managing the temple finances which result in corruption,” he recently said.

The State government’s decision follows criticism of the recent demolition of several ancient Puri Mutts associated with the Jagannath temple, including the ancient Vaishnavite monasteries– the 700-year-old Emar Math, 300-year-old Languli Math and 521-year-old Bada Akhada Math. The Puri Shankaracharya has been against the demolition of the monasteries.

Early this month, the SC in an interim order, asked the Jagannath Temple Management Committee to invite the Puri Shankaracharya and ensure that the rituals were performed regularly every day without any remiss and obstruction.