A Story Every Indian Must Know

A Legacy Of Land, Wealth, And Cultural Ruin In Our Temples

Dear reader,

Tamil Nadu’s ancient temples were once the backbone of the society—they served as key cultural hubs, managed vast lands, funded schools, and ensured the welfare of millions.

Today, they are reduced to shadows of their former glory. Their wealth? Plundered or squandered. Their lands? Encroached or sold for peanuts.

Did you know?

• Tamil Nadu's temples owned over 5.25 lakh acres of land in the 1980s. Today, over 1.5 lakh acres are under encroachment.

• Mismanagement by the HR&CE Department has led to a loss of Rs 60,000 crores over the last decade.

• Prime temple lands in urban areas are leased at a pittance—sometimes as low as Rs 0.94 per acre.

The loss of these resources affects the daily rituals, cultural preservation, and community welfare that temples once ensured.

But what could this lost wealth achieve, for example?

• Free education for 400,000 students.

• Free healthcare for 2 million families.

• The revival of thousands of dilapidated temples across the state.

And yet, how often do we hear about this tragedy? Not enough.

T R Ramesh, who's been long campaigning to free temples from government control, has brought a detailed report with all the nitty-gritties as part of our special reading for the Swarajya's Heritage Program this year. You can read it here.

As a subscriber, you have full access to it. To all print subscribers: the copies are already on its way to you. To all digital-only subscribers, if you'd like the hardcopy of this limited edition, you can order it directly from our Store here.

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Till next time,

Raghu R

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