South India’s only Saraswathi temple at Basar caught in web of ‘veteran’ employees?
According to official sources, at least 10 out of the 25 employees of the Endowment department here have been clinging to various designations at the devasthanam from durations ranging from 10 years to even 30 years.
Nirmal: The Sri Gnana Saraswathi Devasthanam, which manages the historic temple at Basar, is reportedly caught in a web operated by a coterie of employees, who have been working at the same devasthanam for decades together in violation of endowment service rules.
The ancient temple, which is one of the only two Saraswathi temples in the country, the other being Sharada Peeth in Kashmir, is said to be facing a serious crisis of mismanagement by this coterie, which has allegedly been involved in multiple irregularities in the sales of laddu, pulihora and tickets related to ‘Akhsarabhyasam’, the learning ceremony for which the temple is known across the country.
According to official sources, at least 10 out of the 25 employees of the Endowment department here have been clinging to various designations at the devasthanam from durations ranging from 10 years to even 30 years.
The sources said there were assistant executive officers, superintendents and inspectors who were discharging duties at the temple for 20 to 30 years. There were many in different wings including the prasadam section who were working with the shrine for at least 10 years.
‘Veteran’ employees behind scams?
“These ‘veteran’ employees, who have been here for long, are bringing disrepute to the famed temple by committing irregularities in sales of laddus, pulihora and tickets relating to Aksharabhyasam and controlling the temple’s administration by forming a group. Action is taken against only lower-rank staffers who do not have any political backup, whenever a misappropriation is exposed,” an official said.
Few of the long-standing employees were transferred to some other temples for one year or up to five years only when a scandal surfaced. However, they manage to get posted back at this temple with the help of their proximity to elected representatives and higher officials of the department. They were still violating service rules which say an employee should not work in one place for more than three years.
Why employees want to be at Basar
The employees are showing interest to work at the Basar temple considering a slew of reasons. Mainly, they can earn huge additional income apart from salary by operating lodges. A major portion of the employees and priests allegedly have their own lodges. They allegedly divert devotees to the lodges and charge quite high.
Report submitted to higher officials
When asked, temple Executive Officer V Viyarayama Rao admitted that a major chunk of the 25 employees of the department at the temple were working at the same place for a long time against rules.
The long standing employees were not focusing on the duties at the temple, but on their private businesses, affecting the image of the shrine. A report was submitted to higher officials of the department narrating the period of service of the employees and vedic scholars, he said.
The Basar Temple issue in short:
- Many staffers working at Basar temple for over 10 years
- Some Endowment employees posted there from 20 to 30 years
- This is against service rules, which stipulate a maximum of 3 years at one place
- Many scams in laddu, pulihora and ticket sales happening
- Those transferred after scams manage to get posted back
- Report submitted to higher officials, says temple EO
- Aksharabhyasams per annum: 80,000
- Annual income: Rs.18 crore
- Devotees visiting the temple a year: 20 lakh
- Basar is one of the only two Saraswathi temples in India
- The other Saraswathi temple is Sharada Peeth in Kashmir
- Parents from Telangana, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu reach Basar for Aksharabhayasam
