‘Syndicate’ calls the shots at Basar temple
'Veteran' employees involved in multiple irregularities in sales of 'laddu', 'pulihora' and Seva tickets in Sri Gnana Saraswathi Devasthanam at Basar.
Nirmal: The Sri Gnana Saraswathi Devasthanam, which manages the historic temple at Basar, is reportedly caught in a web operated by a group 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 group, which has allegedly been involved in multiple irregularities in the sales of ‘laddu’, ‘pulihora’ and tickets related to ‘Aksharabhyasam’, the ceremony for which the temple is known across the country, wherein little children are initiated into the process of learning my making them write alphabets.
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 Devasthanams for durations ranging from 10 years to even 30 years. Sources said some assistant executive officers, superintendents, and inspectors were discharging duties at the temple for 20 to 30 years. Many in different wings, including the ‘prasadam’ section, have been working with the shrine for at least 10 years.
Backing by higher-ups “These veteran employees, who have been here for long are bringing disrepute to the 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.
A 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 owing to their proximity to elected representatives and higher officials of the department. They were still violating service rules which state that an employee should not work in one place for more than three years.
The employees are showing interest in working 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 lodges. They allegedly divert devotees to the lodges and charge quite a high sum as rents.
When asked, temple Executive Officer V Viyarayama Rao admitted that a major chunk of the 25 employees of the department at the temple was working at the same place for a long time against rules. These 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.
