Controversy over Art of Living yoga camp at Thanjavur Big Temple

A view of the temporary structure being erected for the yoga camp on the premises of the Big Temple.

Heritage lovers have expressed strong resentment against the two-day yoga camp to be organised by the Art of Living Foundation on December 7 and 8 on the premises of the Brihadisvara Temple, one of the “Great Living Chola Temples” in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The 11th century temple, also known as Big Temple, built by King Raja Raja Chola around 1010 C.E. is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). When contacted, a highly placed source in the ASI said that “the ASI had not given any permission for any such event by any such organisation on the temple premises”. The source said that in fact the organisation approached the ASI first, but was  denied permission. They then approached the HR & CE [Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments] Department of the Tamil Nadu government and the department sought permission from the ASI to use the space on the temple premises for singing “bhajans”.

The source further said that the ASI gave permission to the Assistant Commissioner, Thanjavur Big Temple, HR & CE Department, who in an official letter to the ASI had sought permission on behalf of the organisers to conduct "Bhajans" for two days on the temple premises. “Based on the letter from the HR & CE Department, the permission was granted. The HR & CE Department usually sought permission for rituals to be held in the temple, which we do not interfere with. However, we used to insist on stringent conditions while granting permission even for such routine rituals. Similarly, our letter of permission to the HR & CE Department for conducting 'bhajans' on the temple premises on December 7 and 8 also carries stern conditions,” he said. Incidentally, it is the HR &CE Department’s task to monitor the daily rituals in the temple.

The Tamil Nadu Archaeological Department said it had not received any communiqué from the ASI about the event.

The programme, as listed on the Art of Living website, is termed “Unveiling Infinity”. It will be held on the sprawling space to the left as one enters the complex, between the imposing 16th century fortified outer wall of the temple complex and the main temple structure that houses the sanctum sanctorum of Lord Brahadeeshwarar (Siva). “The workers have erected a tent-like structure very close to the main structure that supports the 216-foot [65.8-metre]-tall“ vimana” [tower] above the sanctum sanctorum and to the “sannadhi” of Lord Dakshinamoorthi close to the perimeter wall in the rear of the complex,” said Ar. Meyyammai, a Madurai-based senior independent journalist who first brought it to everyone’s notice on social media following a visit to the temple on December 5.  

She told Frontline that she saw scores of workers engaged in erecting the temporary structure on temple premises. “They [workers] told me that it was for the two-day yoga camp. The structure seemed large enough to accommodate around 5,000 people. However, no digging could be seen anywhere in the floor. They are probably employing some latest technology for this,” she claimed.   

Condemning it strongly, the Tamil writer D. Ravikumar wondered how the ASI and the Central government could give permission to use this monument for such private entities to conduct their programmes. This centre, he said, had already been rapped for one such event by the Supreme Court, which slapped a fine of Rs.5 crore on  it for disturbing the ecology of the Yamuna river banks in Delhi in March last year. “My information is that the ASI has not informed the Tamil Nadu State Archaeological Department about its decision to grant permission to the yoga guru to conduct the event on the temple premises. The Tamil Nadu government must ban this event immediately,” he said.

The Art of Living’s itinerary page points out that the two-day event of “Unveiling Infinity”, to be held at Thanjavur “Brihadeeshwarar Temple, Membalam Road, Balaganapathy Nagar, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu”, would have three sessions— between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. on December 7 and the second and third sessions from 9 a.m. to 12 noon and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. respectively on December 8. 

Devotees and other people, however, were apprehensive that the temple’s daily rituals such as pujas, would be disturbed. “The routine will remain affected if such a massive congregation gathers inside a temple for purposes other than what it is meant,” said a Thanjavur resident. It, he said, was against the very principle of the yoga courses the Art of Living offers—“inspiring a service ethic”.