Temples of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry: ASI Protected Temples

Most of the temples in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry are directly or indirectly administered by the Hindu Religious and Cultural Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu (HR and CE) in Tamil Nadu and by the Department of Hindu Religious Institutions and Waqf in Pondicherry or Puducherry. These government departments have taken control of most active and revenue generating temples according to various legislations enacted during the 20th century and this remains a controversial issue. Apart from these there are some temples that are the property of the Archaeological Survey of India or ASI and very few are controlled by private groups. Some others are under ther jurisdiction of the state Department of Archeology in Tamil Nadu.

The Archeological Survey of India (ASI) was formally established in 1861 by the then British colonial administration for the stated purpose of accomplishing a "complete search over the whole country, and creating a systematic record and description of all architectural and other remains that are either remarkable for their antiquity, or their beauty or their historical interest". The Englishman Sir Alexander Cunningham was its founder and first Director General. Although there were attempts prior to that to try and preserve sites and artifacts of historical and archaeological significance during British colonial rule, the formation of the ASI was indeed a milestone. The early years were not easy with many fits and starts. There were years when it was defunct due to lack of funds.

In post independence India, it has been integrated into the Ministry of Culture as a department. It is the custodian of thousands upon thousands of archeological and historic sites of national importance. They range from prehistoric caves and burial sites to relics from the British Raj. They also preserve a large number of temples across India numbering in the thousands. In Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, temples that are deemed to be of national importance come under the purview of the ASI. These are a small fraction of the total temples. While most of the temples that the ASI admisters are inactive or "dead" temples, some are partially active. There are other temples, usually active temples, where they have joint custody with the HR and CE, which manages the functioning of the temples while the ASI supervises the preservation.

The temples managed by the ASI are looked after reasonably well. The familiar green fencing and the blue and white sign boards are reassuring signs that the sites are protected. They offer security against encroachment, destruction from miscreants, the elements and theft. They also protect the temples from well intentioned but ill informed renovation efforts that frequently damage ancient inscriptions, murals and sculptures in non-ASI temples. The ASI temples are usually frozen in time and they are relatively free of modern additions. They are of immense value to the student of archeology, history, art and architecture of a certain period.

The ASI is divided into circles and sub circles. There are 34 circles and numerous sub circles across India. Most of the monuments of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry historically came under the Chennai Circle. Since 2021 there is a Thiruchirapalli Circle. The Chennai Circle had 10 sub circles under it. 3 of them now fall under the Thiruchirapalli Circle. The sub circles under the Chennai Circle are Chennai, Mamallapuram, Gingee, Vellore, Kanchipuram, Puducherry, Salem. Those under the Thiruchirapalli Circle are Thirumayam, Thanjavur and Thiruchirapalli. The occasional temple is protected by other circles such as the Thanumalayan Temple in Suchindram, which falls under the Thrissur Circle.

Is the ASI perfect? Certainly not. Given the sheer number of sites under its control and limited resources, it struggles to maintain some remote sites. It can do a better job. It is also saddled by the inefficiencies of government bureaucracy and political priorities like any other government department. Historically it has not been very savvy at generating revenue through the sites it controls. Lately it is getting better at it. It is dependent on the budget of the central government. In the 2023/2024 budget it was allocated 1103 Crore Indian Rupees or 11.5 million USD which indeed is a drop in the bucket given the scale of its operations. The ASI is grossly underfunded.

For the visitor, going to an ASI temple site might be a different experience than visiting an active temple. As they are generally less crowded and no active worship is not taking place, rules and etiquette may be less formal. But they are essentially places of worship and the sanctity of these sites have to be respected. The timing of opening and closing of these temples might also differ from active temples. Most ASI temples will open around 9 am and close around 4 pm. In remote places, there is usually a single employee on the premises and he/she might take a lunch break at midday and the temple might be closed at that time.

One of the problems for those interested in visiting these temples, is that it is difficult to identify these temples prior to a visit. The ASI's mandate is to preserve and safeguard these sites. It is not their job to publicise them. So they are not well advertised. There are no easily accessible lists of ASI administered temples that are comprehensive or very descriptive. The ASI has documentation on the internet as well as published material that are not easily accessed by the general public.

This post is an introduction to ASI protected temples in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry. In following posts, we will attempt to generate lists that would document these temples. This would enable potential visitors to plan meaningful trip itineraries. We will also identify the closest city or big town for easy access. We will also post a version in the Guide Page for ready reference for our readers in the future.

Sources:

1. Website of the Ministry of Culture - Government of India - Archeological Survey of India - Official Database

2. The Annual Outlay of the Ministry of Culture, India FY 2023-2024, Budget records.