The state of this temple is causing concern for Hindus worldwide, since numerous cases have been filed against the temple management council and case after case against individuals who have filed against the temple management council. As a result, the temple's volunteers and workers are airing their complaints, alleging that the temple administration is unclear.
Two individuals filed two applications in the Tirumala District Court with the intention of outlawing the Paripalana Sabha, which was elected on October 29, 2023 of last year. The district court that heard the aforementioned instances and rendered a decision did not administer justice in a proper manner. Following the cases filed on March 20 and 21, 2024, against the temple administration council, Thirukoneswaram has become a temple beset by case after case.
400 years ago, the Portuguese demolished it, and during the British colonial era, temple worship was outlawed. Sri Lanka attained independence in 1950.
With the assistance of slaves, friends, and supporters, the temple was constructed after the Portuguese demolished it, rebuilt it, looked for the missing idols, built a temporary shed on Swamimalai, consecrated it, and built a permanent structure. There was a Mahabhishekam.
One of the Pancha Eswarams of Hindus dealing with a variety of crises, Koneswaram, is currently dealing with fresh issues.
The following candidates were chosen as the new administrators at the Thirukoneswaram temple management council election that took place on October 29, 2023, last year.
Elections were used to choose the Executive Council members, Advocate Thilagaretnam Dushyanthan, Secretary Gramsevakar R. Arun, Treasurer C. Vijayakumar, and President.
On February 21, two people filed a complaint in the Trincomalee District Court over this election, as well as issues pertaining to the management of the temple and financial scandals.
The individuals who brought the case are S. K. Vijayanathan and C. Jaishankar. They were listed as members of the temple's Board of Trustees in the petition. Enmar was mentioned in the list of respondents.
Current President Advocate T. Dushyanthan, Current Secretary R. Arun, Current TR.210 referred to as Treasurer Vijayakumar, Trustee K. Shivanesarasa, Former Chairman, Secretary K. Arul Subramaniam, Former Chairman, Secretary P. Parameswaran, Former Treasurer S. Yogeswaran, Former Vice-Chairman K. Cheyanthan, Former Vice-Secretary N. Parasuraman. The petitioner's allegations against the respondent in this case are identified by the number 2024.
As stated in section (42) and (43), certain gold ornaments belonging to the temple were not disclosed to the public, nor were all the details regarding the gold jewelry and other precious metals, including precious gold received as a gift to the said temple from 17.01.2010 to 12.08.2023, disclosed in the monthly meetings by the relevant temple administrators. The petition further claims that there are severe concerns about the gold ornaments of the Koneswara temple being available at this time, as there have been rumors that the administrators tampered with them and exploited them for their own purposes.
The petitioner further stated that they have learned that the first and second petitioners in this matter decided to work together to create new decorations using some of the temple's small gold ornaments, as stated in section (53).
The petitioners claim that the general council meeting was not held during the specified period and that it was held in 2019 and 2020, as mentioned in case number TR/02./94. It is also stated in sections 57 and 58 that the general council meeting of Konesar temple was not held annually as mentioned in the letter, in 2015 and then in 2019 and also in 2016, 2017, and 2018. 2021 additionally It is also stated that no research was done.
Additionally, it has been reported that the elections for the administrators at the general assembly meeting, which took place on October 29, 2023, were conducted illegally.
The computation presented at the general council meeting on April 1, 2012, said that the construction of the 33-foot-tall Shiva statue in front of the temple cost Rs. 14,78,327. This information is related to the case number TR/02/2024(A) Section 152.
The petitioners claim that because the Shiva idol was reconstructed without the Board of Trustees of the Paripalana Sabha's proper consent, it was dismantled twice and the costs incurred for its creation were needlessly lost, amounting to 70 lakhs. This petition makes claims and allegations regarding parts from 2008.
The petitioners Vijayanathan and Jaishankar have been designated as counter-petitioners in case number TR/ 11/ 2024 (as indicated in sections 25 and 26), and Mr. Kengatharan served as the Treasurer of the Konesar Temple's Board of Trustees from 2016 to 2019. Accountant in the temple's Paripalana Sabha office from 2015 until 2021.
The terms of the church's Yap are broken by a trustee who is paid on a monthly basis. Thus, the petitioners have further claimed that they have caused the temple management council to lose 50 lakh forty thousand rupees by paying the abovementioned Kengatharan's monthly salary from 2015 to 2020.
Similar to this, in the 1994 lawsuit brought against the Konesar Temple Management Board, S.K. Vijayanathan and C. Jayashankar identified themselves as intervening petitioners. There are 29 people who have been identified as respondents, including the current President, Advocate T. Dushyanthan, Secretary, R. Arun, and Treasurer, C. Vijayakumar.
The General Council meeting on September 17, 2023, and the Board of Trustees election on October 29, 2023, both took place illegally, as stated in petition number TR/02/94. Advocate T. Dushyanthan, the current President, led both events. Additionally, the annual reports regarding the operations and growth of the aforementioned temple, as well as the annual budget reports, were not provided to the General Council in a timely manner. It is also mentioned in the aforementioned petition.
As stated in this petition's sections 140 and 141, despite the fact that the temple's administration obtained the aforementioned gold ornaments from the family of M. Go, the former president of the Paripalana Sabha? The petitioners have also accused the current administration of failing to provide information on gold jewelry, including precious metals and other precious stones, that was donated to the temple in question between now and then.
According to reports, the petitioners, Vijayanathan and Jaishankar, asked the Trincomalee District Court to impose a two-week suspension on the newly elected temple management council. The court also formed a five-member advisory committee and an interim management council.
Ravana worshipped the Shiva temple in Thirukoneswaram, which was first built by King Mahasena and rebuilt by King Kulakotta and King Gajabaku.
Portuguese commander Deesa of Konzerranrai grew envious of the Konesar Temple's renown and abundance of material and money, which included the sacred tirtha known as Papanasam and was hailed by foreign visitors as the Romapuri of the East.
In 1624, they demolished the temple and took valuables including gold and jewels. He used temple stones to construct the fort. The current form of Prattikottai is Akkottai.
The Portuguese destroyed about a thousand idols in the three temples. The most significant idols were buried in different locations after being saved by temple priests and followers.
Following the departure of the Portuguese, Dutch, and French, the British (1782 and 1795) took control of Trincomalee. Hindus were permitted to visit the fort and worship in the local temple during special events and festivals during the British rule. In 1950, following Sri Lanka's independence, Mudaliar Karthikesu built a makeshift hut at the base of Konesamalai. Later, during his construction of the temple, he discovered ancient idols. That same year, attorney KV Iranganathan spearheaded the establishment of the first Punarutharana Sabha.
D. Irasarathanam was named the council's president. The temple, which had been under foreign rule for approximately four centuries, was restored, and the first Kumbabhishekam was held in 1963. The former members of parliament who were selected were S. Sivapalan, Rajavarodayam, Manikarasa, M. Brahmasree Sabapathi Iyer, K. Saravanamuthu, R. Ekambaram, Brahmasree Sivasumanipraya Gurukus, V. Iramalingam, and Dr. W. Palendra.
At that time, Dr. K. Chithiravel served as the Thirupani Sabha's head. Following him was Advocate MK Selvaraja, who became the Paripalana Sabha's Chairman. The temple hosted its second Kumbabhishekam in 1981 and its third in 1993.
In 1994, after the Paripalana Sabha had been in operation for around 44 years since 1950, a lawsuit was brought against the body. Similar to this, the temple management council was the subject of another ruling made in 2010.