Devaswom boards in Kerala

Devaswom (Sanskrit: Property of God) are socio-religious trusts in India that comprise members nominated by both government and community. Their aim is to manage Hindu temples and their assets and 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 the temple and are managed through a body of trustees who bear allegiance to the presiding 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]

DevaswomApproximate annual revenue (yearly income)
in crores (INR)		Net Assets of Board
in crores (INR)		Number of TemplesRichest temples (annual revenue in crores (INR))
Guruvayur400
2500
12Sri Guruvayurappan Temple (400)
Travancore (TDB)390
N.A.1240Sabarimala Hill Shrine (200)
Chettikulangara Devi temple, Mavelikkara (100)
Ettumanoor Siva Temple (60)
Malayalappuzha Devi Temple (5.75)
Malabar (MDB)80
N.A.1337Kadambuzha Sri Parvati Temple (8)
Cochin (CDB)50
N.A.403Chottanikkara Devi Temple (6)
Koodalmanikyam1Koodalmanikyam Temple

Travancore Devaswom Board

Travancore Devaswom Board is an autonomous body formed as per the Travancore Cochin Hindu Religious Institutions Act of 1950. It is one of the oldest Devaswom Board, as a successor to Travancore Royal Devaswom Commission. The headquarters of Travancore Devaswom Board is located at Devaswom Complex in Nanthancode, Thiruvananthapuram. Current president of Travancore Devaswom Board is Sri.N Vasu. Immediately after the British take over of Travancore, all temples till then, managed by different communities and families were confiscated including all its movable and immovable assets and put under the control of one institution with top control resting with the British resident. The Sabarimala temple, is the largest and most important temple of Travancore Devaswom board. The second largest temple under this board is Chettikulangara Devi temple at Mavelikkara. 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 there 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 President and two Members, the President and one Member is nominated by the Hindu members of the Kerala Council of Ministers and the other Member from the Hindu Members of 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.

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. 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 and others.

Educational institutions

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 Dewaswam Boards were governed by the provisions in the Madras Hindu Religious Act and Charitable Endowment Act 1951, Koodalmanickam 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 Dewaswam 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 TG Mohan Das to abolish Devaswom Board. The bench of Justices U U Lalit and K M Joseph issued notice to the Kerala government and Devaswom Board of Travanacore and Cochin and sought their response in six weeks.[14] In 2019, the Kerala government 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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