source: New Indian Express, March 10, 2007

TIRUVANNAMALAI: The archakar training for candidates from all communities to make them eligible for appointment as priests in temples, as guaranteed in a recently-enacted legislation in the State, would soon begin in six centres, including the one at Annamalayar Temple here, said Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR and CE) Minister KR Periyakaruppan.

Speaking to reporters after reviewing the arrangements being made for the ensuing training course at the Tiruvannamalai Annamalayar Temple, the Minister said each centre would train 40 students in Sanskrit Ahamas and Tamil Tirumurais.

There would be separate teachers for these two texts but the Tamil Thirumurai teacher would be the head of the centre, he said.

When asked when the actual recruitment would begin under the Act, the Minister said it could be said only after the completion of the one-year training course.

TRUST BOARD CHAIRMAN: About the appointment of the chairman of the Temple Trust Board, the Minister said the recently-appointed five trustees, including local trader Dhanusu and former MLA Manivarma, would elect a person among themselves as chairman soon after taking charge.

This method of selection of the Trust Board chairman would override the convention of the government arbitrarily appointing a person for the post.

Following the convention, successive governments appointed their loyalists or a person, who would reflect their choice, as the Chairman of the temple Trust Board. Music composer Ilayaraja and industrialist A C Muttaiah were among the few who had occupied the post earlier.

There were complaints that when governments consider people of this calibre for the prestigious post it would always overlook the locals.

But the decision of the present government makes amends to the mistake by allowing all the five local trustees to elect one among them as chairman, notwithstanding the fact that this choice would ultimately be taken at political levels.