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Subject: Call for Papers: SEMINAR: "Temple Management in India"

                         Call for Papers
                                 and
                 Participation in a Seminar
                                 on

         "A Framework for Temple Management in India"
                 (Moderated by: Prof. Subhash Kak)

  This is a Call for Papers on the issue of Temple Management in India.
  A seminar and a workshop on this subject will be held as part of the
  Human Empowerment Conference in Houston during Sept 16-18, 2005.  The
  submissions and the ensuing debate at the conference among the
  thinkers present is expected to culminate into a position paper on
  this topic. The position paper alongwith the proceedings of this
  seminar will be made available widely, and it is hoped that would
  have a bearing on public policy in India.

  A government should have no role in the management of temples, as is
  presently the case all across India. The current situation is
  responsible for corruption, looting of temple properties and income,
  and lack of attention to the mission of education and social renewal
  of the Hindu community.

  Traditionally, many temples were run by families, and there were
  complaints that they were not doing enough to improve facilities for
  pilgrims and to allow access to all Hindus. These arguments have been
  used by the government in the last half-century to take-over the
  management of temples by forming temple trusts where the control
  vests with the IAS functionary and the members are nominated by the
  government.

  The government-controlled temple system needs to be given back to the
  public. This would require that the government come up with an
  appropriate legal framework so that the governing trusts are elected
  and managed by the community. Perhaps the model of the SGPC for the
  Sikh temples could serve as the initial draft document to create a
  Devasthana Prabandhak Parishad (DPP) for each state. Perhaps such DPP
  could work at the district, tehsil and neighborhood/village level, so
  that there is no concentration of power at the state or the national
  level. It should be realized that the issue of temple management is a
  national problem and not a partisan one. No political party has taken
  initiative to bring reforms, including the two national parties, the
  Congress and the BJP.

  All organizational, legal, social, spiritual, cultural and religious
  issues pertaining to this topic needs to be debated, culminating into
  a consensus position paper that could become an ideological basis for
  socio-political action by the Hindu community in India.

  Academics, intellectuals, and thinkers are invited to submit papers
  covering various aspects of temple management, including historical
  and traditional aspects. How were the temples managed in ancient and
  medieval times? What could be incorporated from those times, and what
  needs to be discarded? Who should decide what rituals can be
  performed in temples, and why? Who should conduct the management of
  the temples, and whether there should be a strict separation of
  powers for religious and temporal authority. Such issues need to be
  thoroughly debated, before a socio-political movement can be launched
  in India at the mass-level for the liberation of Temples.

  Intellectual churning is required for any ideological development.
  Hence, contrarian views are most welcome in this intellectual debate.

  For background, see:

  Hinduism and the Contest of Religions
  http://www.sulekha.com/expressions/column.asp?cid=305994

  The Assault on Tradition
  http://www.sulekha.com/expressions/column.asp?cid=305983

  A Looming Disaster
  http://in.rediff.com/news/2003/sep/08kak.htm

  The Seminar will be moderated by Prof. Subhash Kak, LSU, Baton Rouge,
  LA, USA.
  ( http://www.ece.lsu.edu/kak/kak.html )

  **********************************************

  How to participate:

  Abstracts or a brief statement of interest can be sent to :

  Anand Rajaram
  Session Coordinator
  E-mail: temple-seminar@xxxxxxxxxxx

  Academics, intellectuals, thinkers, legal professionals, accountants,
  bureaucrats, journalists, businessmen, and community leaders alike are
  invited to send in abstracts of their submission by 2nd week of
  August. Final papers are due by 1st week of September. Prospective
  participants are cordially invited to be present at the conference
  during Sept. 16th-18th, 2005, in Houston, Texas, USA. Details of the
  Human Empowerment Conference can be obtained from the Session
  Coordinator. All prospective participants living in the U.S. and
  Canada are highly encouraged to attend the seminar and workshop in
  person. Participants from India and elsewhere can participate via
  teleconferencing. Appropriate facilities for remote participation
  will be provided by the conference organizers.

  This is an invitation-only seminar, therefore all participants must
  submit a Statement of Interest, in a few lines, explaining why they
  are interested in this topic.

  Further information about the conference is available from:

  Third Annual Human Empowerment Conference 2005
  Organizing Committee

  Shri Dilip Mehta
  Tel. 281-491-7299

  Shri Vijay Kumar
  Tel. 615-646-1875

  Dr. Raj Dave
  Tel. 847-274-0459

  E-mail: temple-seminar@xxxxxxxxxxx





azhwAr emberumAnAr jeeyAr thiruvadigalE saranam
 
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