Sri Ramanathaswamy temple (TN)
Rameswaram (Tamilnadu): A defiant Ramanathapuram Congress MLA Hasan Ali, whose visit to Sri Ramanathaswamy temple near here led to a purification exercise there, on Wednesday said he would visit the shrine again and again" and dared BJP or Hindu Munnani to stop him.
He told PTI here that his forefather Seethakathi Vallal a popular trader and philanthropist who was in the court of the Sethupathy King who ruled Ramanathapuram around 200 years ago, was a trustee of the temple and charged that BJP was acting as if it was only interested in the temple affairs.
He said he would go to the temple with a lot of people again. He said he had gone to the temple several times earlier from the age of 13. "I am not against Hindu temple or Hinduism. Why should I not go to the temple?" he said.
Authorities of the Sri Ramanathaswamy temple, 40 km from here, performed a cleaning and atonement pooja after Hasan Ali had entered it on Saturday last. Meanwhile, BJP national executive member K Murali said when a system was there and non-Hindus were not allowed inside the temple, it should not be violated. He said Muslims and Hindus in Rameswaram are like family members but charged the MLA was trying to spoil this atmosphere.
Even in mosques, non-muslims are not allowed to sit on ‘Nambir.’ "The Muslims, in fact organise boats for the float festival of Sri Ramanathaswamy temple and they also get honoured. But all that is done outside the temple."
He wanted the Congress high command to take action against "such divisive elements" in the party.
Source: http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=88739
(One Muslim, In Hindu majority India, dares to challenge the rules in Temples and Hindu kept quiet. If any Hindu dare to say like this, then what would happen with him Hindus should think over it! – Editor)
MLA Ali enters Ramanathaswamy temple; Temple Purified
June 25, 2007
Rameswaram (Tamilnadu): Authorities of the famous Sri Ramanathaswamy temple in Rameswaram performed an "atonement pooja" after the local MLA, Hasan Ali, entered into it, temple sources said.
The Ramanathapuram Municipality Vice Chairman M Rajamani said as a local MLA, Hasan Ali wanted to see for himself the cracks in the temple’s East Tower on Saturday and report to the State Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR and CE) Minister K R Periyakaruppan.
Temple authorities performed "parikara pooja" (cleaning and atonement pooja) on Sunday. The BJP’s local unit, upset over the entry, has put up posters condemning the entry of the MLA, a non-Hindu. The VHP and Shiv Sena also condemned the MLA’s entry. Rajamani said the MLA had earlier participated in the "Samabandhi Bhojan" (feast) held in the temple.
Temple officials said former Puducherry Chief Minister Farooq Marackier had entered the temple once and the then temple priest Kalidass Mahanth filed a case in the Supreme court as the HR and CE rules and ‘agamas’ of the temple prevented non-Hindus from entering the temple. Farooq Marackier had then apologised before the Court, officials said, adding the incident took place about 20 years ago. The "atonement pooja" was performed then also.
Last month, temple authorities of the Guruvayur temple in Thrissur district of Kerala conducted a purification ceremony after the visit of Union Minister Vayalar Ravi’s son, Ravikrishna, on the ground that his mother hailed from a Christian family. Ravikrishna had gone to the temple for the ‘choroonu’ (first rice feeding) of his son on May 18.
(Will Non Muslims be ever allowed to enter Kaba Mosque? MLA must respect sentiments of Hindus. Due to lack of knowledge and respect for own religion, many Hindus are also joining hands with so called secularists to condemn religious rules. – Editor)
Source: http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=88643
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