Chennai: With the Tamil Nadu government declaring 24 of 32 districts reeling under the hydrological drought, the people in the state are staring at a humongous drinking water crisis. Seeking a divine approach, the state government has decided to perform yagnas to tackle the drought.

In a circular issued by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR & CE) department, the officials of important shrines were urged to conduct special 'yagams' among other rituals for pleasing the God of rains, Lord Varuna.

The department administers over 44,000 temples in the state and has urged the authorities of temples to perform yagnas to beget rains. Dated April 28, the circular

issued to authorities of the shrines said, "It has been decided by the HR and CE to perform yagam in important temples that come under the department hoping for bountiful rains during monsoons in the year 2019-20."

Explaining the ways of performing to the yagnas, the circular issued by HR and CE Commissioner Phanindra Reddy said that prayers should be offered to Nandhi by placing the idol in water to please the rain gods.

Apart from specific prayers and pujas, including Parjanya Santhi Varuna japam, the temples have also been asked to organise musicians to play 'ragas' such as Amrithavarshini, Megavarshini, Kethari, Anandha Bhairavi, Roopakalyani and divine ragas in Carnatic music that are said to bring showers when played. Officials at Mariamman temples have been directed to perform special abhishekams with milk, curd, and tender coconut water.

The temple authorities have been asked to communicate with the Department the date on which the yagnas will be performed and the number of temples based on which the scheduled will be prepared.

As per the sources, the yagnas are expected to be conducted in at least 4,000 temples.

The approach of Yagnas has triggered a backlash across the state. However, the state government has previously sought to invoke divine intervention for combating drought-like situation in 2013 by the then AIADMK government headed by J Jayalalithaa, who had organised special yagams and prayers in the HR and CE administered temples to appease the rain God. It is for the first time, though that a circular has been issued asking for yagnas to be conducted.

General secretary of the movement Dravida Iyakka Thamizhar Peravai, Suba Veerapandiyan called the circular 'anti-constitutional' further stating that the move by the HR&CE department strengthens the argument that the BJP is driving the government.

Coming to the BJP's defense, the party's National Secretary and Sivaganga Lok Sabha candidate H Raja on Twitter condemned the Dravidar Kazhagam leader for opposing the move adding that the order is permissible under law and the yagnas should be conducted in all temples.

Meanwhile, activists faulted the government for failing to take any measures to handle the drought.

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