Are temple ponds still used by people in India?

 Sayan Putatunda

Temple Ponds are still used in Millions of Temples all over the Tamil Nadu, except the temples, which become famous, crowded in last four decades.

Temple Cycle:

Before building a temple, the “Theppam” is digged. In most of the places, the sand and rocks taken out by digging the well is used for constructing the temple alongwith the ground water.

Once the temple is completed, the Theppakkulam (s) is constructed with the steps from all four sides and the naming of theertham is being done.

King or Emperor endow the lands adjacent to it to the temple. Kins of King were made custodians to perform the pooja and festival expenses through the revenue generated from the irrigated lands by the water from stepwell.

As water is regularly taken for agriculture, the water is fresh, with all water dwelling species made it to their home. The same stepwells are being used for bathing of pilgrims, devotees, and those living adjacent to the temple. Some stepwells are marked for drinking purpose.

Now the issue with the bigger temples are that, this cycle is broken, the lands endowed to the temple become non agricultural lands, stepwell waters are not regularly taken out on day to day basis for agriculture and turned to green.

Yes. Temple Ponds are still used by people, except in big temples due to crowd and broken temple cycle.