Devaswom boards in Kerala

Devaswom (Sanskrit: dēvasvaṁ; transl. "Belonging to the God") are socio-religious trusts in India whose members are nominated by both government and community. They oversee Hindu temples and their assets to ensure their smooth operation in accordance with traditional rituals and customs. The devaswom system notably exists in the state of Kerala, where most temples are either managed by Government of Kerala-controlled devaswoms or formed by private bodies/families. The properties of each temple are deemed to be the personal property of the presiding deity of the temple and are managed through a body of trustees who bear allegiance to that deity.

The five Kerala Devaswoms (Guruvayur, Travancore, Malabar, Cochin, and Koodalmanikyam) together manage nearly 3000 temples.[1]

Revenues

The five devaswoms (Guruvayur, Travancore, Malabar, Cochin, and Koodalmanikyam) earn about Rs. 1000 crore annually.[1][2]

DevaswomAnnual revenue (crores of INR)Net assets (crores of INR)Number of templesRichest temples (annual revenue in crores (INR))
Guruvayur400250012Sri Guruvayurappan Temple (400)
Travancore390N.A.1240Sabarimala Hill Shrine (200)
Chettikulangara Devi temple, Mavelikkara (100)

Haripad Sree Subrahmanya Swami Temple
Ettumanoor Siva Temple (60)
Malayalappuzha Devi Temple (5.75)

Malabar80N.A.1337Kadambuzha Sri Parvati Temple (8)
Cochin50N.A.403Chottanikkara Devi Temple (6)
KoodalmanikyamN.A.N.A.1Koodalmanikyam Temple

Travancore Devaswom Board

The Travancore Devaswom Board is an autonomous body formed as per the Travancore Cochin Hindu Religious Institutions Act of 1950. As a successor to the Travancore Royal Devaswom Commission, it is one of the oldest devaswom boards. The headquarters of the Travancore Devaswom Board is located at Devaswom Complex in Nanthancode, Thiruvananthapuram. The current president of the Travancore Devaswom Board is Sri. K.Anathagopan. The first president of the Travancore Devaswom Board was Sri. Mannathu Padmanabhan. Immediately after the British takeover of Travancore, all temples which until then had been managed by different communities and families were confiscated including all movable and immovable assets. The temples and their assets were put under the control of one institution with ultimate control resting with the British resident. The Sabarimala temple, is the largest (in income) and most important temple of the Travancore Devaswom Board. The second-largest temple (in income) under the Board is Chettikulangara Devi temple at Mavelikkara. The third-largest temple (in income) is Haripad Sree Subramanya Swami Mahakshetram. The Constitution of the Board was based on the covenant entered into by the King of Travancore. Sabarimala is the main income source of the Board, with Rs. 255 crore accruing to it from the temple during the previous pilgrimage season.[3] The income from the rest of the temples in Kerala was Rs. 57 crore.[3]

Administration

The Board comprises a President and two Members, where the President and one Member are nominated by the Hindu members of the Kerala Council of Ministers and the other Member from the Hindu Members of the State legislature. The term of the President and Members is for a period of three years. The headquarters of the board is in Nanthancode, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

Main Temples

Schools

There are several Primary and Higher Secondary schools all over South Kerala.

  • Travancore Devaswom Board Central School, Chakkuvally
  • Travancore Devaswom Board Central School, Kadakkal
  • Travancore Devaswom Board Central School, Vettikkavala
  • Devaswom Board High School, Erumeli Kottayam

Colleges

There are four aided colleges all over South Kerala. They are:

Temples

Sree Subrahamanya Swami Temple, Pnanachery, Trichur Mahadeva Temple, Pananchery Sree Balasubramanyaswami Temple Cheriyanad

Malabar Devaswom Board

The Malabar Devaswom Board[4] was formed by the H.R & C.E (Amendment) Ordinance of 2008 of Government of Kerala. The Board consists of 9 members. There are five divisions Kasaragod Division, Thalassery Division, Kozhikode Division, Malappuram Division and Palakkad Division. Temples are in Special Temple category and the others in A, B, C, D categories. In special category are[5] 'Some of the well known' temples (*All temples cannot be included)

Prominent 'Category A' temples: Cherukunnu Annapoorneswari Temple, Cherukunnu, Anantheshwaram Temple, Kasargod, Kalarivathukkal Bhagavathy Temple, Valapattanam.
Prominent 'Category B' temples: Thirumandhamkunnu Bhagavathy Temple, Kongadu, Viswanathaswami Temple, Kalpathy, Thaliyil Neelakanda Temple, Neeleswaram, Chemmanthitta Bhagavathy temple, Karulai. These temples are in relative lower category but are highly famous in the region.

[6] [7] [8] [9] [10]

Guruvayur Devaswom Board

The Guruvayur Devaswom Board was formed for administering the activities of Guruvayur Temple.

Administration

Administrative office started functioning since 1997. The day-to-day administration is to be looked after by an Administrator appointed by the Government of Kerala. The Managing Committee includes the Tantri of the temple,The karanavar of mallissery illam, samoothiri raja and Government Nominated 6 members including a representative from the Guruvayur devaswom permanent employees.

Educational institutions
  • Sree Krishna Higher Secondary School, Guruvayur
  • Sree Krishna College, Ariyannur
   GDEMS (CBSC +2) GURUVAYUR
   GDEMS KG SCHOOL GURUVAYUR
   VADHYA KALA VIDYALAYAM GURUVAYUR
   KRISHNANATTAM KALARI GURUVAYUR
   INSTITUTE OF MURAL PAINTING GURUVAYUR
   JYOTHISHA PADANAKENDRAM ,KAVEED

SUB TEMPLES

 
  SREE NARAYANAM KULANGARA BAGAVATHY TEMPLE
  THAMARAYUR SREEDHARMA SASTHA TEMPLE
  KAVEED KARTHYAYANI TEMPLE
  NENMINI AYYAPPAN TEMPLE
  THALAKOTTUKARA SIVA TEMPLE
  MUNDOOR ANJOOR AYYAPPAN KAVU TEMPLE
  MANGANCHIRA MAHAVISHNU TEMPLE
  VERMANUR SIVA TEMPLE (PALAKAD)
  POONTHANAM MAHAVISHNU TEMPLE (MALAPURAM)

Cochin Devaswom Board

The Cochin Devaswom Board was formed under the act of XV of Travancore-Cochin Hindu Religious institutions Act,1950 to make provisions for the administration, supervision and control of incorporated and unincorporated Devaswoms and of other Hindu Religious Endowments and funds under the Ruling area of the former Cochin State. Each temples on CDB has controlled by devaswoms. The financial aspects of each devaswoms are handled by following groups.

  • Chottanikkara
  • Thrissur
  • Thiruvanchikulam
  • Thiruvilwamala
  • Thripunithura

Main Temples

Educational institutions

Koodalmanikyam Devaswom Board

The Koodalmanikyam Devaswom Board is situated in Irinjalakuda, Thrissur district. It manages the Koodalmanikyam Temple.[11]

Working

Prior to 2015, the appointments to the various posts in the Dewaswom Boards were governed by the provisions in the Madras Hindu Religious Act and Charitable Endowment Act 1951, Koodalmanikyam Devaswom Act 2005, Travancore-Cochin Hindu Religious Institutions Act 1950 and Guruvayoor Devaswom Act 1978.[12]

In 2015, based on the recommendations by the Justice Paripoornan Commission, the Congress-led UDF government set up an autonomous body for recruitment in the Dewaswom Boards.[12]

Reservation

About half of the Devaswom board recruitments are based on reservation.[13]

  • Ezhava (17%)
  • Hindu OBC excluding Ezhava (6%)
  • SC/ST (12%)
  • Economically backward High caste Hindus (10%)

Attempt to abolish Devaswom

The Supreme Court in 2018 agreed to examine the petition moved by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy and T. G. Mohandas to abolish Devaswom Board. The bench of Justices U. U. Lalit and K. M. Joseph issued notice to the Government of Kerala and Devaswom Board of Travanacore and Cochin and sought their response in six weeks.[14] In 2019, the Government of Kerala opposed Subramanian Swamy's plea.[15]

References
  1. "They Manage the Wealth of the Gods". The Times of India. 4 September 2012. p. 3.
  2. "Managing Gods' wealth: Kerala's four Devaswoms together earn Rs 1000 crore annually". The Times of India. 4 September 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  3. Nair, N.J (17 January 2018). "Sabarimala revenue touches record Rs 255 crore". The Deccan Chronicle (newspaper).
  4. "Malabar Devaswom Board". Malabardevaswom.kerala.gov.in. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  5. "Photo Gallery". Malabardevaswom.kerala.gov.in. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  6. http://www.malabardevaswom.kerala.gov.in/images/pdf/div_thalassery.pdf
  7. http://www.malabardevaswom.kerala.gov.in/images/pdf/div_kasaragod.pdf
  8. http://www.malabardevaswom.kerala.gov.in/images/pdf/div_kozhikode.pdf
  9. http://www.malabardevaswom.kerala.gov.in/images/pdf/div_malappuram.pdf
  10. http://www.malabardevaswom.kerala.gov.in/images/pdf/div_palakkad.pdf
  11. "Devaswom Boards - Government of Kerala, India". Kerala.gov.in. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
  12. "Kerala government to constitute Devaswom Recruitment Board". Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  13. "Devaswom boards: Kerala govt announces 10 per cent reservation for economically weaker among Hindu forward communities". Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  14. "Supreme Court issues notice to Kerala on Devaswom Board". The New Indian Express.
  15. "Kerala opposes Swamy's plea to make Devaswom boards free of state's control". Business Standard India. Press Trust of India. 23 January 2019 – via Business Standard.
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