Total Temple Lands: 420,000 acres Total number of temples under Govt: 34,443
1. 87% of Temples (30,000 temples) under Government control cannot even afford Dhoopa, Deepa, Naivedyam. 2. 20% of Temples Lands (80,845 acres) are encroached mostly by political patronages. 3. 40% (167,000 acres) are leased mostly by politicians under fictitious names paying Rs 3 to Rs 40 per annum. 4. Number of court cases: 6547
(Article submitted by Foundation for Religious Freedom - FRF
to Hindu Mandir Executive Conference 2007 Souvenir)
Both India and America are secular democracies in the sense that both have constitutions that prohibit the government from establishing a state religion or interfering with religious organizations. But there the similarity ends. While America more or less scrupulously adheres to the separation of church and state, in India the picture is dramatically different.
Not too many Indians are aware that even though India is officially a secular democracy, state governments in India can take over Hindu temples and their properties, can appoint the people who will run temple committees and operations, and can take away hundi collections and other donations from temples and use them even for non-Hindu purposes. And they have been doing this for almost six decades now all over India.
PADAYATRA I (3500 Kms) - July 2007 through Jan 2008
Tirupathi Forum - Finale of Padayatra I. Attended by 12,000 (part 1)
Tirupathi Forum - Finale of Padayatra I (Part 2)
PADAYATRA II (5000 Kms) DETAILS - Aug 2008 through Feb 2009
The Maha Padayatra -2 is a 5000 Kms journey that started in Srikurmam (Srikakulam) in August 2008 culminating in a mega-public forum in Tirupati in February 2009. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and several other Hindu Spiritual Leaders will be attending this program where about 30,000 devotees are expected to take part.
Padayatra II starting from Sri Kurmam in Aug 2008
Kamal Kumar Swami Interview with TV5 during Padayatra II (2 parts)
Details of the villages being visited during Padayatra 2. At each village Kamal Kumar Swami is bringing awareness to people on the plight of Hindu Temples, urging them to volunteer for temples upkeep and join in the struggle to release Hindu Temples from the control of Government.
