'We have Ramanuja, Shankaracharya idols in Hindu temples; why not Sai Baba?'

Sai Baba of Shirdi has found space in scores of Hindu temples across India. A saint and fakir from Maharashtra who 'attained samadhi' more than a century ago, Sai Baba may have preached self-realisation and opposed religious differences, but a Hindu priest in Coimbatore wants the Madras High Court to have his idols removed from Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu.

The court has served a notice asking the Tamil Nadu government to respond to the issue.

The Federal reached out to Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Minister P Sekar Babu, who declined to comment since the matter is in court. "We will respond to the petition. We will give our response on July 19 in the court," he said.

'Violation of Agamas'

Petitioner D Suresh Babu has said Sai temples are not exclusive places of Hindu public religious worship, so placing idols of Sai Baba – whose religious identity is unknown, and who preached both Islam and Hinduism – is acceptable. However, placing them in Hindu temples violates Agama principles, he said.

Devotees of Sai Baba belong to all religions, and placing his idol in Hindu temples is against Hindu customs, and hurts the religious sentiments of the community, he argued.

"Sai Baba preached a concept which is a mix of both Islam and Hinduism. The installation of his idol is particularly against the Shaivite scriptures, dating back to the 8th century," Suresh Babu told The Federal.

Redesigning Shaivite scriptures?

“When the main deity is Shiva, Nayanars (Saivite saints from the 6th-8th century) are part of the temple. However, Sai Baba's idol would have no relevance in the temple. I suspect efforts are gradually being made to redesign Shaivite structures with Sai Baba," said Suresh Babu.

He added that while Sai Baba has followers keen to worship him, Agama customs should not be violated and the feelings of Hindus should not be hurt by placing his idol in their temples.

"The HR&CE department, responsible for the management of temples, should have taken appropriate steps against such installation of idols but failed to perform its duties. I sent representations to the department but no action was taken. So, I approached the court for justice," he said.

No clarity on Agama temples: Experts

When The Federal asked religious expert Sathyavel Muruganar if placing Sai Baba idols in Hindu temples violates Agamas, he said the case was filed to grab attention and not to protect Agamas.

There are 28 types of Agamas, and without clarity on which temple in Tamil Nadu is based on which Agama, there is no point in discussing supposed violations, he observed.

Agamas are a set of rules on temple building, idol making and religious procedures. They discuss rules on the quality requirements of places where temples are to be built, the idols to be installed, the materials from which they are to be made, their dimensions, proportions, air circulation, lighting in the temple complex and more.

Importantly, the rituals followed in the daily worship in the temple also follow rules laid out in the Agamas.

Ayyappa, Ramanujar

Muruganar emphasised that only when lists of Agamic and non-Agamic temples are compiled can violations be checked.

"The HR&CE is yet to compile a list of Agamic and non-Agamic temples in Tamil Nadu. Without a clear idea of which temple is Agamic, we cannot decide on violations. The government has not even formed a committee to compile the lists ordered by the Madras High Court (in a different case). How can we point out violations?" he asked.

Pointing out how Ayyappa idols are placed in many temples and how idols of Saint Ramanuja and Thulukka Nachiyar (per mythology, a Muslim consort of Lord Ranganatha; she is also referred to as 'Bibi Nachiyar') and are placed in the Srirangam temple, Muruganar said placing a Sai Baba idol in a temple would not constitute an Agama violation till the lists are drawn.

'What about Shankaracharya?'

Professor S Saravanan of the Saiva Siddhantha department at the University of Madras defended Sai Baba devotees' wish to pray to him in Hindu temples.

"In Shaivite temples, the main deity is Lord Siva or Lord Muruga. Though placing a separate idol of Sai Baba would be considered a violation of Agamas, the idol could be placed as if Sai Baba is worshipping the main deity of the temple. When the idol of Shankaracharya is allowed in the temple, Sai Baba would also measure up to the same scale, and his devotees would like to worship him in Hindu temples," said Saravanan.