A missed call campaign has been launched by Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev of Isha Foundation to press the demand to free Tamil Nadu temples from government control.

Sadhguru launched the campaign on the occasion of Mahashivaratri during the celebrations at Coimbatore. People from across the world can show support to the cause by giving a missed call on 8300083000.

This comes a week after he wrote open letters to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswami as well as opposition leader M K Stalin, calling on them to declare “these intentions and plans” in their election manifestos to get the temples out of government clutches.

"Temples should be managed by devotees," he emphasised, adding, "Ancient Temples of millennial antiquity are being vandalized and cannibalized for stones that are broken, used for other buildings or sold as artifacts. Heartlessness of the way temples are being managed is heartrending and painful."

"When the East India Company seized control of temples, they administered them through the board of revenue. It’s shameful that we talk about temples as "revenue". It's time to end the colonial hangover," he added, urging people to participate in the missed call campaign and press this demand before the upcoming Tamil Nadu elections.

People who gathered to celebrate Mahashivaratri at the venue, showed their support by holding placards to save the soul of Tamil culture and #FreeTNTemples from the state.

Every year, lakhs of people from across the world gather at the Isha Yoga Centre during the night-long celebrations. However, due to Covid-19 protocols issued by the central and state governments, the participants were encouraged to join the event online.

Sadhguru also consecrated 3 million rudraksha beads during Mahashivaratri, that will be sent to around 3 million people free of cost to their homes.