Kochi: Though there have been instances of transfer of ownership of temples by including new trustees, the sale of a place of worship for monetary benefit is unheard of. Small family-run temples are transferred to new persons if the owners cannot manage them. They will include new persons in the temple trust and withdraw from it. In many cases, family disputes will also lead to the change of hands.
According to experts, there is nothing wrong in transferring a temple, but many find it improper to sell a temple just for monetary sake. “There is an impropriety in the sale of temples. But there are instances of wealthy devotees coming forward to save dilapidated temples by donating money,” said Prayar Gopalakrishnan, president of Travancore Devaswom Board.
“If a temple trust comes forward seeking help from a particular Devaswom Board, we may consider it. We will just check whether we can manage the temple with the offerings before taking over it,” he said. According to lawyers, there is no illegality in the transfer of temples to third parties.
