Should govt funds be used for prayer functions?

Andhra Pradesh conducts prayer functions and a large-scale Homam to appeal to god for rains. Why have government funds been used for this purpose?

CJ: Vyasamoorthy

Wed, Jul 08, 2009 11:26:36 IST

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Andhra Pardesh News :

ANDHRA PRADESH has been lucky to receive adequate rainfall in the past few years, this has ensured a satisfactory harvest and has staved off agricultural disaster. However this year, it appears that the monsoons will fail and the Met Office predicts that the state may suffer a rain shortfallof 40%, compared to last year. Some point out that the successful rainfall of previous years can be attributed to:

1. Cloud seeding experiments carried out by the state government and

2. Prayer offerings to the god Varuna through 'Maha Varuna Yagnya'

This year too, the state government has decided to perform Varuna Yagnyas on a large-scale all over the state. A three-day Homa festival had been planned for the period betrween the 2nd and 5th of July. A series of 108 Homa Kuntas have been erected in exhibition grounds. One hundred and eight priests from Thirupathi Thirumala Devasthanam (TTD) would be chanting appropriate mantras under the guidane of Chief Priest Sri Ramana Dikhshithlu, after invoking Fire God, Agni Deva. The inauguration of the Homam was attended by the Chief Minister Sri Rajasekara Reddy. He was accompanied by the minister for endowments and minister for agriculture. TTD Chairman Sri Adikesavulu Naidu was also a witness.

The event has attracted its share of criticism. Lok Satta has criticised this Yagnya, stating that, however lofty the goals, government funds must not be utilised for such religious functions. They also pointed out that every year the cloud seeding experiments were conducted at such a time when rains were naturally due. My own opinion is that, such ceremonies are fine as long as TTD funds are being used and ministers are just wintnesses to the same. It is not right for public money to be spent on religious rituals. This is as bad as the trend that was started last year - that of providing financial grants to Christians to go to Jerusalem on a pilgrimage; a grant that will be paid out of the government treasury.

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