Monsoon is erratic year after year due to multitude of factors like climate change, deforestation, accumulation of non decaying wastes that increases the atmospheric temperature etc. To offset the erratic and inadequate rain fall more attention has to be paid on to ensure ecological balance. To the extent trees are cut, tree planting has not been carried out in a massive manner, to the extent deforestation is carried out it is not compensated with reforestation. The life style of people and rise in motorised vehicle population also aggrevate the increase in the atmospheric temperature. In the fight against the so called nature (the area that is not studied so far), the humanity has been discouraged consistently. From the primitive period, humans feared the nature that discomforted them. As an appeasing endeavour the humans started to worshipping gods to bring rain. In this way appeasing endeavour in the form of rituals got practiced. While this endeavour led to stagnation, the scientific progress brought significant changes in human life. But the traditional approaches, however meaningless they are, adhered to meticulously by the cult under the garb of religious faith.
Though the cause and mode of formation and fall of rain has been proved scientifically, the religious cult of minuscule population still adheres to the practices of appeasing the ‘rain god’ by performing prayers and conducting yagnas which ended in futile consequence . However the practice still continues .
Recently the Hindu Religious Charity Endowment Board (HRCE), Government of Tamil Nadu has issued instructions in the form of circular to conduct poojas, yagnas and special rituals, praying god for the rain. The role of HRCE is only administrating the temple management and its treasury. It has no role to interfere into the religious affairs. This is the activity a secular State. Nobody can prevent an individual praying to god by performing poojas. But institutionally a State cannot direct the temple authority to conduct prayers and rituals which is ultra vires to the solemn resolve of forming the secular state as per the Indian Constitution.
Invariably in many Tamil Nadu temples institutional prayers, and poojas are conducted but the ‘rain god’ did not shower any mercy! The temples continue to conduct rituals for rain. At whose cost? From the contributions made by the public? When the State is questioned for the delay in the execution of public welfare schemes, the hurdle is pointed at inadequate funds position. But for performing special poojas, the temple funds are liberally spent, for which the State also remains a party. The governing authority itself directs for such questionable activity.
The position of water availability has deteriorated from the level of its insufficient use to agriculture to the level of inadequacy for drinking. No constructive effort for this purpose anywhere is at the vicinity!
The election process is over. Can we expect the secular state to ponder over through constructive and scientific methods on the vital issue of ‘water’ instead of directing to perform the special rituals, yagnas in the temples?
May the State be posed with a question? The governing code, the Constitution expects every citizen of the country to develop scientific temper as the fundamental duty of them.
When the development of scientific temper is expected of from a citizen, how can the secular State give direction in reverse for performing yagnas, poojas for the unheeding rain?
