Company : Sol Infotech Pvt. Ltd. Website : www.courtkutchehry.com MELKOTE MUZRAI TEMPLES MANAGEMENT RULES, 1952 CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 :- . 1. . 2. . CHAPTER 2 :- . 3. Composition of the Committee and Conduct of Business 4. Conduct of Business 4A. Control by Government 5. Accounts of Income and Expenditure 6. Removal of Members of the Committee CHAPTER 3 :- . 7. Powers of the Committee of Management 8. Duties 9. Miscellaneous Duties CHAPTER 5 :- . 10. The Religious Sub-Committee shall be composed of the following members 11. Powers 12. General SCHEDULE 1 :- Melkote Temples MELKOTE MUZRAI TEMPLES MANAGEMENT RULES, 1952 In exercise of the powers conferred by Sections 7 and 41 of the Mysore Religious and Charitable Institutions Act, 1927 (Mysore Act VII of 1927), the Government of Karnataka are pleased to make the following rules, namely. CHAPTER 1 . 1. . :- (1) These rules may be called The Melkote Muzrai Temples Management Rules, 1952. (2) They shall apply to the Muzrai Temples at Melkote specified in the Schedule to these rules (hereinafter referred to as Scheduled Temples). (3) They shall come into force on such date as the Government of Karnataka, may by notification in the Karnataka Gazette, appoint. 2. . :- (1) There shall be a Committee called "The Committee of Management", for the better administration of the Scheduled Temples and it shall have such powers and perform such duties as are provided in these rules. (2) The Committee of Management shall consist of 16 persons. (3) The Members of the Committee of Management shall be nominated by the Government. (4) The Members of the Committee will hold office for a period of three years, or such other period as may be specified by the Government while constituting the Committee, unless removed within such period under these rules. CHAPTER 2 . 3. Composition of the Committee and Conduct of Business :- T h e Committee of Management shall consist of the following persons. (1) Three persons from among the puduvat donors residing at Melkote; (2) Two Municipal Councillors of the Melkote Town Municipal Council, elected by the Municipal Council and approved by the Government; (3) Two persons from among the puduvat donors of the Scheduled Temples residing outside Melkote and within Mysore State; (4) Three persons from among the puduvat donors of the Scheduled Temples residing outside the Mysore State; (5) A representative of Sri Parakalaswamy Mutt; (6) Agamik of Sri Melkote Temple; (7) The Principal of the Sanskrit College, Melkote; (8) Local Acharya Purusha: 1[Provided that (a) while nominating persons to the Committee from among the devotees, as far as possible, equal representation between the Vadagale and Tengale Sects shall be maintained; (b) among the puduvat donors only those who have donated more than one thousand rupees or nominees of such donors and in the absence of any nominee, a member of the family of such donor, shall be eligible for selection; (c) out of the three persons to be selected under clause (1), one shall be a member of the Bhaktha Mandali Sabha, Melkote: Provided further that if in the opinion of the Government suitable persons cannot be selected under clauses (1), (3) and (4), such vacancies may be filled up by the Government by nominating other suitable persons, who may hold office until such time as suitable candidates are nominated in pursuance of clauses (1), (3), or (4), as the case may be. Explanation."Puduvat donor" referred in clauses (1), (3) and (4) includes a nominee of the donor and any member of the family of the donor. The Sub-Division Officer, Pandavapura and t h e 2 [Amildar], Pandavapura Taluk, shall be ex officio Members of the Committee of Management and shall be appointed as the Chairman and Secretary, respectively, of the Committee. 1. Provisos and Explanation substituted for the provisos by Notification No. R-856-Muz.-233-50-9, dated 26-4-1954. 2. Now Tahsildar 4. Conduct of Business :- (1) The Committee shall meet at least once in two months and more often if necessary to discuss the affairs of the Scheduled Temples under their management. Such meetings shall be held in the premises of the Institutions. (2) The quorum for a meeting shall be seven. The Chairman of the Committee shall preside at the meeting and in his absence one of the members of the Committee present, elected for the occasion, shall preside and sign the proceedings. The decision of the majority shall be considered to be the resolution adopted by the Body. The President shall have a casting vote, if the opinion of the members should be equally divided. (3) The proceedings of the Committee shall be recorded in a book to be kept for the purpose. The copies of the proceedings shall at once be forwarded, under the signature of the Secretary of the Committee, to the Deputy Commissioner of the District. (4) The Deputy Commissioner of the District may also convene meetings of the Committee of Management for purposes of discussion and consideration of matters relating to the Scheduled Temples. The proceedings of such meeting shall also form part of the Committee's record. 4A. Control by Government :- (1) The Committee of Management shall manage the Scheduled Temples under the immediate administrative super (2) The Government shall have power to regulate the manner of management by the Committee, to supervise the affairs of the Committee and to inspect the temples and their properties, to audit the accounts, and in cases where the Government consider that the affairs of the Scheduled Temples are not being managed properly to supersede the Committee and make other arrangements for the management of the Scheduled Temples. (3) The Deputy Commissioner or such other officer as the Government may specify, may, by order in writing require the Committee to perform any duty, whether obligatory, discretionary o r delegated under these rules, annul any proceedings which he considers to be not in conformity with law and may do all things necessary in his opinion to secure such performance or conformity: Provided that when the duty required to be performed is discretionary or delegated, an appeal shall lie to the Muzrai Commissioner from the orders of the Deputy Commissioner or the specified officer. (4) If, in the opinion of the Deputy Commissioner or such other officer as the Government may specify in this behalf, the execution of any order or resolution of the Committee or the doing of any act which is about to be done, or is being done, in pursuance of or under cover of these rules, is likely to cause injury or annoyance to the public or to any class or body of persons, or to lead to a breach of the peace, he may, by order in writing, suspend the execution or prohibit the doing of such order or act. When the Deputy Commissioner makes any such order, he shall forward a copy of the order and a statement of the facts to the Muzrai Commissioner and the Muzrai Commissioner may rescind the order or direct that it shall continue in force with or without such modification as he may order, permanently or for such period as he thinks fit. 5. Accounts of Income and Expenditure :- The Committee shall maintain such accounts of income and expenditure and furnish such returns to the Deputy Commissioner of the District as are prescribed under Section 22 of the Mysore Religious and Charitable Institutions Act, 1927, and the rules framed thereunder, in respect of the Scheduled Temples. (1) The monthly accounts of receipts and expenditure shall be scrutinised and checked up at each meeting of the Committee and the results of the scrutiny recorded in the proceedings book. An extract of the accounts so scrutinised shall be appended to the copy of the proceedings forwarded to the Deputy Commissioner of the District. (2) The Members of the Committee shall have free access to all registers, vouchers and records maintained in respect of the Scheduled Temples. (3) In all matters relating to the management of the Scheduled Temples which are not defined by rules and orders in force, unanimous resolutions of the Committee shall be given effect to immediately, if they are in accordance with usage, and the extra expenditure if any, involved does not exceed fifty rupees and the expenditure is within the resources of the temple concerned. If any difficulty is felt in giving effect to such a resolution the Chairman of the Committee shall immediately report the matter to the Deputy Commissioner whose decision thereon shall be final. (4) In all matters of usage prevailing in respect of the Scheduled Temples, the Committee shall be generally guided by the Melkote Temple Manual, published under the authority of the Government. 6. Removal of Members of the Committee :- (1) Any member of the Committee who fails to attend more than three consecutive meetings of the Committee of Management, or any local member who is absent from Melkote for more than six months continuously will be liable to be removed from the office. (2) The Deputy Commissioner may for sufficient reasons recommend to the Government, the removal of any member of the Committee from office and the Government may by order remove such member. (3) Whenever a Member of the Committee vacates his office or is removed from office before the expiry of the term fixed, the vacancy may be filled up by nomination of another person by Government, provided that such person holds the office only for the unexpired portion of the term of the person in whose place he is nominated. (4) All appointments and removal of the members of the Committee shall be duly notified in the Mysore Gazette. CHAPTER 3 . 7. Powers of the Committee of Management :- (1) The Committee of Management shall be responsible for the proper and efficient maintenance and management, in regard to both secular and religious matters pertaining to the Scheduled Temples. For the religious management of the Institutions the Committee shall be assisted by a Sub-Committee called the "Religious Committee" constituted under Rule 10. (2) The Committee shall have general control over the temple servants as regards their attendance and discharge of their duties. (3) The Committee shall have power to grant leave not exceeding three months to any servant of the Scheduled Temples and to appoint a substitute instead for the above period. (4) The Committee shall have powers to take suitable disciplinary action against any temple servant for the non-discharge of his duties. They shall have power to fine any hereditary Muzrai servant up to five rupees. Recommendation for the suspension or dismissal of a temple servant for improper conduct, moral turpitude, continued absence from duty in spite of notice or other causes, shall be made to the Deputy Commissioner for his decision. (5) The Committee shall, with the approval of the Government, have power to determine ways and means to augment the income of the institutions under their management in the form of endowments, puduvats, etc., and from the landed properties endowed to the Scheduled Temples. (6) The Committee shall have power to sanction estimates for Muzrai works, not exceeding five hundred rupees, provided funds are available and the estimates are scrutinized by a competent technical authority. (7) The Committee shall have power to regulate the conduct of sevas in the Scheduled Temples by the devotees visiting the temples. 8. Duties :- (1) It shall be the duty of the Committee to supervise the daily routine affairs of the Scheduled Temples and ensure that daily and periodical ceremonies are performed at the regular time and in the prescribed manner and that the amounts assigned therefor are properly utilised, the work being undertaken either by individual members of the Committee by rotation or otherwise as may be resolved upon by the Committee at a meeting. (2) To inspect periodically, at least once in a quarter, in the presence of the temple servant or other person entrusted with the custody thereof, all the jewels and other movable properties belonging to the Scheduled Temples. The result of such inspection shall be reported to the Deputy Commissioner. (3) The opening of the golaka box in the presence of the chief servant of the temple and having the realisations credited to the Taluk Treasury. (4) Execution of petty repairs. (5) The conduct and supervision of santarpanes, utsavas and other celebrations on any special occasions. (6) The proper distribution of prasadams offered to the deity, among all the devotees alike after minimising as far as practicable the share of miras due to the temple servants. (7) Making proper and effective arrangements for the darshan of the deity by the devotees during the hetchukatle days and to provide necessary facilities to the pilgrims to offer their desired sevas. (8) To see that no differential treatment or discrimination is made among the devotees visiting the temples. (9) The Committee should take steps to provide facilities for the pilgrims for their boarding and lodging during their stay at Melkote, both on ordinary and hetchukatle days. (10) The Committee may, with the co-operation and assistance of the Melkote Town Municipal Council, arrange for the proper sanitation, etc., of the town during the times of jatras. 9. Miscellaneous Duties :- The Committee shall. (1) undertake necessary steps to make Melkote Town a "Tourists Centre"; (2) undertake the publication of pamphlets or guide books relating to the temples for the information of tourists; (3) to supervise the affairs of the Sanskrit College of Melkote, and to devise ways and means with the assistance of learned Pandits, to improve the College as a centre of learning and a centre of research making use of the ancient records available in the temple; (4) the Committee of Management shall submit to the Deputy Commissioner, not later than 1st of August of each year, a comprehensive report about the administration of the scheduled temples during the year ending on 30th June, each year. CHAPTER 5 . 10. The Religious Sub-Committee shall be composed of the following members :- (1) Agamik of the Temple; (2) 1 [The Principal of the Sanskrit College, Melkote, shall be the Chairman of the Committee and the Peshkar, Melkote Temples, shall be the Secretary;] (3) Representative of Sri Parakalaswamy Mutt; (4) Principal, Sanskrit College, Melkote. The representative of Sri Parakalaswamy Mutt shall be the Chairman of the Committee and the Peshkar, Melkote Temples, shall be the Secretary. 1. Paragraph 2 substituted by Notification No. R. 856-Muz. 233-50- 9, dated 26-4-1954. 11. Powers :- (1) The "Religious Committee" shall advise the "Committee of Management" on all religious matters pertaining to the management of the scheduled temples either suo motu, or on a reference made to it by the Committee of Management. (2) The Committee shall meet at least once in two months or more often, if necessary, to discuss affairs relating to the religious side of the management of the scheduled temples. (3) The proceedings shall be recorded in a book and a copy thereof sent immediately, under the signature of the Secretary of the Committee, to the Committee of Management for further action thereon. (4) The "Religious Committee" will be subordinate to the Committee of Management and actively assist the Committee of Management in the administration of the religious matters of the scheduled temples. (5) The Committee shall supervise all the daily and periodical religious activities, the rituals to be observed, maintenance of tradition and customary practices in the temples, distribution of work among the sannidhis, and all other matters of religious nature pertaining to the religious management of the institutions. Matters of controversy shall be referred to the Committee of Management, with the opinion of the Religious Committee, for disposal. (6) In matters of usage, the Committee shall be guided generally by the Melkote Temple Manual published under the authority of the Government. (7) The Religious Committee may consult other learned pandits on any religious matters referred to them or on any matter upon which they wish to have expert opinion. 12. General :- The Religious Committee may. (1) undertake to radiate the teachings of Vaishnava Cult, particularly the Vaishnava Adwaita Philosophy in an appropriate manner; (2) undertake the training of learned Pandits in Visishta Adwaitha Philosophy for purposes of propagating that philosophy and Vaishnava Religion; (3) hold periodical conferences at Melkote at which religious and philosophical discourses may be held; (4) undertake religious propaganda on all important gatherings by arranging Upanyasams, Harikathas, recital of Puranas, etc.; (5) do all other acts as will be conducive for the improvement and maintenance of the scheduled temples and to keep up the devotion which its devotees have for Sri Narayanaswamy and other deities of the place. SCHEDULE 1 Melkote Temples SCHEDULE Melkote Temples (1) Sri Narayanaswamy temple (2) Sri Yoganarasimhaswamy temple on the Hill. (3) Suttal Gudis 1. Nagamangaladabagil Anjaneya 2. Poorvabagilu Anjaneya 3. Chikkaiyana Koladagaruda 4. Kalyani Gajendra 5. Kalyani Bindu Madhava 6. Hosagudi Venkataramana 7. Lingammana Kolada Anjaneya 8. Sitaranya 9. Baboorayana Anjaneya 10. Karigallu Anjaneya 11. Nagamangalada Bagil Vinayaka 12. Madhya Mantap Anjaneya 13. Nammalvar 14. Tirumangi Alwar 15. Badari Narayana 16. Kalyani Gopalakrishna 17. Pete Krishna 18. Chikkayyana Kolada Venkataramana 19. Pete Anjaneya 20. Kalyani Panchabhagavataru 21. Kalyani Ammanavaru 22. Byragi Mutt Achyuta Ramanujadevaru 23. Kalyani Karika Narayana 24. Kalyani Lakshminarasimha 25. Solle Anjaneya 26. Vahanamantapada Garuda 27. Namada Katte Garuda 28. Chamaraja Wodayar Garuda 29. Kalyani Mahasesha 30. Kalyani Gnanaswatha 31. Kalyani Periyalwar. 32. Sri Vedantha Desikar Sannidhi. 33. Sri Manavalamamuni Sannidhi.