Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department

The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu manages and controls the temple administration within the state. The Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act XXII of 1959 controls 36,425 temples, 56 mathas or religious orders (and 47 temples belonging to mathas), 1,721 specific endowments and 189 trusts.

History
In 1923, the Madras Hindu Religious Endowments Act was passed by Madras Presidency. In 1925, the Government constituted "The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Board" consisting of a President and two to four Commissioners nominated by the Government to function as a statutory body. Subsequently, it was modified and in 1960 it became The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department by Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act XXII of 1959 which came into force with effect from 28 April 1960, with C. P. Ramaswami Iyer serving as Chairman.

Since 1991, religious and spiritual leaders have been involved in the maintenance and administration of the Hindu Temples and Charitable Endowments. However, the maintenance and administration of the Jain temples are under the administration of Jain religious and spiritual leaders.

The act controls 36,425 temples, 56 mathas or religious orders (and 47 temples belonging to mathas), 1,721 specific endowments and 189 trusts.

The department's inception saw numerous companies managing their Public Relations (PR) and Social Media Management. Currently, the responsibility is entrusted to the Chennai-based branding firm, 7 MILES PER SECOND, overseeing PR and Social Media Management operations.

Schemes
Annadhanam Scheme is conducted in 746 Temples and 50 to 300 devotees are provided with mid-day meals after Uchikala Pooja. Every year Special Rejuvenation camp is held for elephants from temples and mutts across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. In 2020-2021, the 48-day long camp was held at Thekampatti on the banks of River Bhavani. Spiritual and Moral Instruction classes were conducted in 485 temples by scholars. Various welfare schemes for temple employees and Nathaswara artists were also performed by this department. This department publishes an electronic magazine called Thiru Koil at its official website.

Temples
Below are a few temples maintained by the department. • Adi Jagannatha Perumal Temple, Thiruppullani

• Adi Kumbeswarar Temple, Kumbakonam

• Adikesava Perumal Temple, Sriperumpudur

• Agniswarar Temple, Kanjanur

• Airavatesvara Temple, Darasuram

• Amritaghateswarar-Abirami Temple, Thirukkadaiyur

• Angala Parameswari Temple, Melmalayanur

• Anjaneya Temple, Nanganallur

• Annamalaiyar Temple, Tiruvannamalai

• Apatsahayesvarar Temple, Alangudi

• Ardhanareeswarar Temple, Tiruchengode

• Mariamman Temple, Samayapuram

• Puliakulam Munthi Vinayagar Temple, Coimbatore

• Solaimalai Murugan Temple, Pazhamudircholai

• Subramaniya Swamy Temple, Thiruparankundram

• Subramanya Swamy Temple, Tiruchendur

• Subramaniya Swamy Temple, Thiruttani

• Swaminatha Swamy Temple, Swamimalai

• Ashtalakshmi Temple, Chennai

• Sangameswarar Temple, Bhavani

• Brahmapureeswarar Temple, Thiruppattur

• Brihadisvara Temple, Gangaikonda Cholapuram

• Brihadisvara Temple, Thanjavur

• Chandra Choodeswarar Temple, Hosur

• Chitragupta Temple, Kanchipuram

• Devanathaswamy temple, Thiruvanthipuram

• Baghavathiamman Temple, Kanyakumari

• Ekambareswarar Temple, Kanchipuram

• Erumbeeswarar Temple, Thiruverumbur

• Jalakandeswarar Temple, Vellore

• Jalantheeswarar Temple, Thakkolam

• Jambukeswarar Temple, Thiruvanaikaval

• Kabartheeswarar Temple, Thiruvalanchuzhi

• Kailasanathar Temple, Thingalur

• Kalikambal Temple, Chennai

• Kallazhagar Temple, Alagar Koyil

• Kamakshi Amman Temple, Mangadu

• Kamakshi Amman Temple, Kanchipuram

• Kampaheswarar Temple, Thirubuvanam

• Kailasanathar Temple, Kanchipuram

• Kandaswami Temple, Georgetown

• Kapaleeshwarar Temple, Chennai

• Karchapeswarar Temple, Kanchipuram

• Karumariamman Temple, Tiruverkadu

• Arulmigu Koniamman Temple, Coimbatore

• Koodal Azhagar Temple, Madurai

• Maha Saraswathi Temple, Koothanur

• Kumarakottam Temple, Kanchipuram

• Mahalingeswarar Temple, Thiruvidaimarudur

• Marudhamalai Murugan Temple, Marudhamalai

• Marundeeswarar Temple, Chennai

• Masilamaniswara Temple, Thirumullaivoyal

• Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai

• Nagannathaswamy Temple, Keezhaperumpallam

• Anjaneyar Temple, Namakkal

• Narasimhaswamy Temple, Namakkal

• Nellaiappar Temple, Tirunelveli

• Palani Murugan Temple, Palani

• Pandava Thoothar Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram

• Parthasarathy Temple, Chennai

• Perur Pateeswarar Temple, Coimbatore

• Punnainallur Maariamman Temple, Thanjavur

• Rajagopalaswamy Temple, Mannargudi

• Ramanathaswamy Temple, Rameshwaram

• Ranganathaswamy Temple, Karamadai, Coimbatore

• Sarangapani Temple, Kumbakonam

• Sathyanatheswarar Temple, Kanchipuram

• Sattainathar Temple, Sirkazhi

• Shanmughanathar Temple, Kunnakudi

• Navaneetheswarar Temple, Sikkal

• Singaravelan Temple, Sikkal

• Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam

• Vadaranyeswarar Temple, Thiruvalangadu

• Srivilliputhur Andal Temple, Srivilliputhur

• Suryanar Kovil, Kumbakonam

• Swetharanyeswarar Temple, Thiruvenkadu

• Thanumalayaswamy Temple, Suchindrum

• Thayumanaswami Temple, Tiruchirapalli

• Thenupuriswarar Temple, Patteeswaram

• Sthala Sayana Perumal Temple, Mahabalipuram

• Yoga Narasimhar Temple, Sholinghur

• Thirukutralam Temple, Kutralam

• Kandaswamy Temple, Thiruporur

• Thyagaraja Temple, Tiruvarur

• Thyagaraja Temple, Tiruvottiyur

• Vaikunta Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram

• Tirunageswaram Naganathar Temple, Tirunageswaram

• Tirunallar Dharbaranyeswarar Temple, Thirunallar

• Ucchi Pillayar Temple, Tiruchirapalli

• Ulagalantha Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram

• Ulagalantha Perumal Temple, Tirukoyilur

• Uma Maheswarar Temple, Konerirajapuram

• Uppiliappan Temple, Kumbakonam

• Vadapalani Andavar Temple, Chennai

•  Vaidyanatha Swamy Temple, Vaitheeswaran Koil

• Subramaniya Swamy Temple, Vallakottai

• Varadharaja Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram

• Vayalur Murugan Temple, Vayalur

• Vedapureeswarar Temple, Thiruverkadu

• Veeraraghava Swamy Temple, Tiruvallur

• Veerateeswarar Temple, Thirukovilur

• Vekkali Amman Temple, Woraiyur

• Vijayaraghava Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram