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Home > Kerala Temples > Introduction to Kerala Temples > Malabar Including Kasargod Taluk Malabar Including Kasargod TalukIt is seen that the British rulers had a closer association with religious institutions from 1790. the first enactment in this direction however came into force in 1817 (Madras Regulation VII of 1817). According to it the British Government by virtue of its sovereign power continued to enforce their right to visit and supervise endowments and prevent abuse of power which had hitherto been enjoyed by local rulers. This regulation laid down a machinery for supervision consisting of 1. The Board of Revenue The enactment was operated till 1839 when certain Christian zealots and religious propagandists in the United Kingdom agitated urging the Government of Madras to refrain from administering the Hindu temples and Muslim mosques as their administration would not fall under the function of the Government. As per decisions of the Court of Directors of the East India Company the control on temples was not effectively implemented till 1863 The Religious Endowment Act XX of 1863 has enabled the Government to divest itself of the management of religious endowments. But this Act was a failure due to the general attitude of the people. Subsequently many attempts were made to bring out legislations in the Madras Legislative Council viz. Mr. Rama Iyengar’s Bill of 1886, Mr Muthuswami Aiyar’s Bill of 1894. Almost at the same period two bills were introduced in the Imperial Legislature also (Mr. Anantacharalu Bill and Dr. Rash Bihari Ghosh’s Bill) But none of these bills was placed in the Statute book, though they could bring out some concrete and useful ideas on a comprehensive legislation. Keeping these ideas the Madras Government passed an Act I of 1925 which repealed the Act of 1863. the Act was however short lived as its validity was questioned in the Madras High Court. The Government therefore introduced a Bill in the Legislative council in 1926, passed it on 17th September 1926 and placed it in the Statute Book as Madras Hindu Religious and Endowments Act of 1927 (Madras Act II of 1927). This Act also was amended several times viz Madras Act I of 1928, V of 1929, XI of 1931, XI of 1934, XII of 1935, XX of 1938, XXII of 1939, V of 1944 and X of 1946. After attaining independence the Congress Ministry of Madras state introduced a detailed Bill and the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act of 1951 was passed which replaced the Act of 1927. Due to litigations this Act had also to be amended by Madras Act of XXI of 1954, and IX of 1956 and later replaced by an Act of 1959 (23 of 1959). However as the Kerala state was formed on Ist November 1956 the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Act of 1951 was amended by Act XXI of 1954 was only accepted and made applicable to the temples situated in the Malabar district (including Kasargod Taluk). Though all temples in the erstwhile Malabar area are Ooraanma temples they are controlled by the HR & CE Department. Only those temples which are financially sound are administered directly by the Department. It is pertinent to point out here that under the scheme framed by the High Court of Madras in appeals 211 and 212 of 1930 for the administration, of Guruvayur temple (as modified by district court, south Malabar in O.S. No 1 of 1938), the administration, control and management of the temple and its properties and endownments had been vested in the hereditary trustees, viz the Zamorin Raja of Calicut and the Karanavan for the time being of the Mallissery Illom at Guruvayur. This position was changed in 1971 by the Guruvayur Devaswom Act of 1971 which was later amended in 1978. << back
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