Andhra Pradesh Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan emphasizes the need for deeper understanding of Hindu customs in temple management. He voices concern over government-appointed officials lacking cultural knowledge, urging respect for religious sentiments and traditions. The actor-politician calls for sensitive, inclusive handling of Hindu religious institutions in India.
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and actor-turned-politician Pawan Kalyan has stressed the importance of cultural sensitivity and understanding when it comes to the administration of Hindu temples in India. In a recent statement to IANS, he highlighted the need for individuals managing temples to be well-versed in Hindu customs and traditions, to avoid hurting religious sentiments.
Addressing the growing concerns about the management of Hindu temples, Pawan Kalyan pointed out that officials who lack knowledge of Hindu practices may unintentionally cause offense. “There is no such thing, you have to understand,” he said, suggesting that ignorance rather than intent is often at the heart of such issues.
The Deputy CM raised a critical question: “Would you allow certain non-religious people, people of non-African religion, to come here and speak to me?” Drawing parallels, he emphasized that people unfamiliar with a particular faith may find it difficult to align with its values and expectations. He elaborated further, “If you don’t understand its basics, you don’t know what to use regularly, you don’t wear a mask, you have to wash your face, you have to wash your hands. That’s a fact.”
Pawan’s remarks reflect a broader concern that temple administration in India, particularly Hindu temples, often falls under government departments, where officials may be appointed without adequate cultural or religious understanding. He explained that while these appointments are not necessarily discriminatory, they can lead to misunderstandings or mismanagement.
“So, people who don’t understand the Hindu customs, why should they be with the Hindus?” he asked, noting that the issue is not about exclusion, but about preserving cultural integrity. “It is not discrimination; it is not the right movement. The problem in India is that religious departments are controlled by the government, and government employees may not always relate to or understand the faith they are tasked to serve.”
According to Kalyan, the solution lies in appointing individuals who have genuine reverence for and knowledge of the traditions associated with the temples. “The same people who are posted as Hindu [department officials] as part of the job, definitely they don’t understand the Indian society. They might hurt certain sentiments of themselves, and I don’t find any mistake in that. It is respecting the demands of the people,” he noted.
The management of Hindu temples has been a contentious issue in India, especially with increasing calls from various Hindu groups and organizations to end government control of temple administrations. These groups argue that too much state involvement infringes on the religious freedom of Hindus and disrupts their traditional systems of self-governance in religious affairs.
Several states in India still exercise control over Hindu temples through dedicated endowment departments. Critics claim that while minority religious institutions enjoy autonomy, Hindu temples often face bureaucratic interference that affects religious rituals, temple finances, and cultural preservation. Supporters of de-centralized temple management argue that temples should be managed by community bodies or trusts composed of devotees and scholars who respect and understand the religious traditions of the temples they oversee.
Pawan Kalyan’s statement echoes these sentiments and adds weight to the ongoing national conversation on the need for religious autonomy and cultural competence in temple administration. By highlighting the need for deeper understanding, he is calling not just for policy change, but for a shift in perspective that respects the intricate traditions and spiritual essence of Hindu religious spaces.
As a prominent public figure with both political and cultural influence, Pawan Kalyan’s views are likely to reignite debates around government involvement in temple affairs. His remarks also align with the broader ideological position of his party, which has often advocated for respect toward Indian cultural heritage and traditional values.
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In the current socio-political context, where questions of identity, tradition, and governance intersect, Pawan’s advocacy for culturally informed temple management may find strong resonance among religious and cultural communities seeking to preserve their spiritual legacy.
