Lighthouse

Author(s): Udayvallabhvijay
Publisher: Pragna Prabodh Parivar

Page 21

Servicing a cycle, is serving a human. Similarly constructing temples is creating employment opportunities. Some years ago we were camping at the ancient Teerth of Pansar in the Mehsana District of Gujarat. The work of polishing and other repairs and maintenance work was going on in the temple. Trained artisans of Orissa were at work. These artisans who appeared to be absolutely illiterate were getting by way of wages (approximately Rs.9,000/- to 12,000/- per month), more than what a graduate employee would get these days. This was in 2008. The then Chief Minister of Orissa Shri Biju Patnaik had declared special incentives for the people to get trained into the art of construction of temples. The main person who designs and oversees the construction of a religious temple is called a sompura in Gujarat. The number of such sompuras and labourers specializing in temple construction work runs into lakhs. A handful of people who love temples have been instrumental in providing livelihood to lakhs of such labourers. If we look at the issue in this manner, temple construction is an enterprise. It is difficult to find elsewhere a job creator like the temple construction activity. A whole community consisting of lakhs of persons remains well employed. In this situation, who would hesitate to call construction of temple a human or social cause? There are several other things associated with temple construction. Sculpting the deity, making the eyes, tikka,
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Lighthouse