A retired state government employee from Tamil Nadu has donated his two crores' worth of property to Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR and CE) as his three children have converted to Christianity.
Kancheepuram based Velayudham (85) and his wife Gnanamani have one son and two daughters, who are in government service. Velayudham is a retired Health Inspector in Kancheepuram Municipality, and his son is employed in a private firm who married a Christian girl. Currently, all his children live in a portion of his house, which he bought after retirement.
Velayudham hoped his son and daughters would perform the last rites after his demise as per Hindu custom, but belying his fervent hope, his son and daughters have converted to Christianity. He said, "For me, being a Hindu, the last rites have to be done as per our tradition. All my three children converted to Christianity. So, they are not going to do the funeral as per my wishes and tradition. Hence, I have no desire to give my property to my children who have converted to Christianity. I am fed up with their action."
Velayudham has donated his 2,680 sq. ft house worth Rs 2 crores to the Kumarakottam Murugan Temple, the family's deity at Kancheepuram and lamented that nobody is left in his family to do last rites as per Hindu tradition.
He said, "I built the house with my hard-earned money. For me, being a Hindu, the last rites have to be performed as per the Hindu tradition. My converted children would not perform last rites to me and to my wife. So there is nobody left in the family to do the same as per Hindu custom. I do not want give my property to them who have converted to Christianity, betraying my hopes and advises."
Feeling isolated, Velayutham said, "My children can live here as long as I and my wife live. But the moment we die, the temple administration will take over the house."
Velayutham said he has handed given the property rights to the HRCE minister, and the administration will take over the house after the couple's demise.
