Source: The Hindu
CHENNAI, INDIA, March 29, 2002: The state-sponsored Sunday spiritual classes in 63 Hindu shrines drew some children on the inaugural day. Now the temple administrations are working to get more to attend. Sources in the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department state that executive officers of the 63 temples were advised to contact all neighboring schools to improve the turnout. The children are being taught sacred songs by the temple oduvars, or singers, and scriptures by the priests. The Kanchi Sankaracharya, Jayendra Saraswathi, has welcomed the schemes of spiritual classes for children. He said the Sankara Mutt was interested in supplying books for such classes as it had brought out many suitable publications. Left-leaning politicians in the State are complaining that it is illegal for the temples to teach Hinduism, even though Christian and Muslim institutions can teach their religions.