A new website has been launched to help people file objections against the classification of temples in Tamil Nadu under the state’s “one-time puja” scheme, with the organisation behind the initiative urging authorities to extend the 30-day period allowed for submissions.
The online facility, created by Aalayam Kaappom, is intended to classify temples based on Agama rules and record objections concerning temples described as non-Agamic. The organisation’s director, Vijay Narayanan, said the initiative was aimed at protecting the historical identity of temples in the state.
According to the report, the organisation has published a video explaining how objections can be registered through the website agama.aalayamkaappom.org. The website is presented as a resource for people who want to challenge the classification of a temple through the objection process.
Vijay Narayanan alleged that many temples included in the one-time puja scheme had been classified as non-Agamic using criteria different from those specified by the court. He said that applying other criteria amounted to a violation of the court’s directions.
The report does not provide details of the court order referred to by the organisation, the number of temples affected, or the criteria used in the classifications. It also does not include a response from the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department to the allegations.
The dispute places the temple-classification process at the intersection of heritage preservation, religious practice and public administration. Classification decisions can affect how the history and ritual traditions associated with individual temples are recorded and how objections are handled by the authorities responsible for temple administration.
The organisation has asked that the 30-day window for submitting objections be extended. It has also called on the public to file applications in order to preserve the historical record of temples. Any extension, revised procedure or official clarification would need to come from the competent authority overseeing the classification process.
For now, the online platform provides a channel promoted by Aalayam Kaappom for submitting objections, while the report leaves unresolved how the department will assess the objections and respond to the organisation’s allegations about the criteria used.
