It may have an ideological basis. But, during the heydays of Dravidian propaganda, some of the popular slogans, which were used to drive both the leadership and the cadre hysterical were:

Why the Gods who have no hunger, should be endowed with land grants?

When shall the day come when we can blast with cannon both the Nataraja of Chidambaram and Sri Ranga of Thiruvarangam?

When political parties with such attitude started gaining control of the temples, they systematically started destroying their sanctity, and started stripping them of the age-old grants bequeathed to them by kings and patrons. Rampant corruption also saw some gruesome killings, when honest officials challenged the political mafia. In 1980, C Subramania Pillai, a jewel verification officer at the Tiruchendur Muruga temple, was killed at the holy town of Tiruchendur. In 1983, an audit inspector-trainee P Venkatachalam, attached to the Srirangam temple, died mysteriously at Srirangam town. Such deaths showed to what extent the politicians in collusion with the state machinery would go to continue their institutionalised plundering of Hindu temples.

Both the Dravidian parties – Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and AIADMK – invented new ways to misguide the people by performing grand Kumbhabishekams at the temples, which often involved renovation of the temples. Most of the time the renovation process included drenching the entire temple with chemical paints or employing highly-detrimental techniques such as sand blasting etc. Apart from such shoddy handling of temples, the stealing of idols had also become a big business with officials colluding with antique smugglers. The recent judgement has come down heavily on this mafia network. It is from here, the tragedy that struck Manampadi temple, unfolds.

Manampadi Temple As It Was

Swarajya was able to gain access to some old pictures of the temple from REACH Foundation before its demolition by HRCE officials. These pictures show the plight of the temple that was not cared for and how it was left unattended. Covered with shrubs, a part of the old brick structures falling apart, yet the basic stone structures standing still.