Udupi: Government Denotifies Srikrishna Mutt from Muzrai Department’s Ambit

Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Oct 28: The state government, after protracted deliberations, has released the famous pilgrimage centre, Srikrishna Mutt here, from the jurisdiction of the state muzrai department. This was stated by higher education minister, Dr V S Acharya, on Wednesday October 27.

“At the time the previous Uniform Act was brought into force, the Mutt was included in the list of notified religious centres under section 23 of Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act, 1997. A request made by the Mutt to denotify it, has been favourably considered after taking opinions from legal experts,” the minister explained.

It may be noted that before May 1, 2003, the religious institutions in the district were covered by Madras Hindu Religious and Endowments Act 1951. While both temples and Mutts were covered by the previous act, the government has the power to exempt Mutts and also the temples functioning under them, from the purview of the act as per section 1 (4) (1) of the said act, Acharya said. He also added that while taking this decision, the government has taken into account various points mentioned in the judgment delivered by the Supreme Court in the civil appeal, and also that the Mutt has since ancient times, been managed by the eight Mutts, and that the worship procedures and management have traditionally been handled through a system of Paryaya (rotation).

The denotification has come with certain conditions, like the Mutt should continue to accord the right of darshan of the deity to common people as before, and that this order is subject to the orders that may be passed by courts where suits are pending. Another condition that the Mutt has been asked to comply is that the government’s prior permission has to be obtained by it before modifying or demolishing buildings and monuments of religious and historic importance.

Acharya also said that several such requests made by Mutts and temples in the district are also under active consideration.

Paryaya Sri Lakshmivarateertha Swamiji has expressed joy at the government’s decision to keep Srikrishna Mutt out of the muzrai department’s jurisdiction.