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print versionThe Times of India, 16 November 2010
Sati temple in Haryana university
by Deepender Deswal
HISAR: A sati temple on university campus! And people actually go there to worship after being granted permission by authorities of Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agriculture University (CCSHAU) at Hisar.
The temple, symbolizing the now obsolete practice of burning of a woman on her husband’s pyre, is said to have been in existence before the construction of the university. However, the varsity allowed the family to use the approach path to the temple on certain conditions about a decade ago.
In a reply under the RTI Act to Subhash, state convener of Haryana Soochna Adhikar Manch, the varsity authorities said the temple complex, spread over approximately 300 square yards, existed prior to the transfer of land to the university. They admitted that on a written request from a Hisar-based family, they allowed the use of a pathway leading to the temple.
But the varsity put three conditions for the family to use the path —no addition/alterations or additional construction of any kind will be allowed in the area; permission to use the approach path will not entitle the family to any right of ownership and that the area earmarked for the temple as per revenue record — 300 sq yards — will continue as such without any encroachment.
In 2004, the family again approached the vice-chancellor for permission to fix stones on the chabutara but he turned down their request. The family members regularly perform puja and other rituals at the temple. The ’mundan sanskar’ (first hair cutting ceremony) of every male child of the family is performed at this temple, varsity officials said.
