The Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department has invited devotees to check the list of Agama temples identified by an expert committee and submit their views about any additions or corrections. The State government had constituted the committee via a G.O. dated 6.10.2025 following directions from the Supreme Court and the Madras High Court in a case pertaining to the appointment of Archakas (priests). The Supreme Court had directed that once the identification of Agamic temples was over, the vacancies in non-Agamic temples could be taken up. Of the total 46,341 temples, charitable endowments, specific endowments, Jain temples, and mutts under the department’s purview, 43,676 are temples, 45 are mutts, 80 are temples attached to mutts, 1,216 are specific endowments, 1,301 are charitable endowments, and 23 are Jain temples. A list of 34,971 temples had been drawn up by the committee of experts and if devotees have any objections or additions to be made to the list, they can do so within a period of 30 days. The public could either go in person to the office of the Commissioner of HR&CE or upload details on the department’s website, said a press release in Chennai. Published - August 29, 2026 05:23 pm IST