Fact Check: Did Priests Play Cricket Inside Chidambaram Temple In Tamil Nadu? Truth Behind Viral Video

A video on social media is doing rounds claiming that priests (Dikshitars) were caught playing cricket inside the Chidambaram Temple in Tamil Nadu.

The clip was shared by a user named Surya Xavier, who suggested that the temple had turned into "Chidambaram Stadium" as the Dikshitars were seen playing cricket within its premises.

Several media outlets also reported that the video was from the Chidambaram temple, stating that the Dikshitars had seized a VCK (Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi) functionary's mobile phone after he filmed them playing cricket. A case was registered against five Dikshitars, further fueling the controversy. Some viewers even speculated that cricketer Venkatesh Iyer was present in the video.

However, a fact-check revealed that the clip is not from Chidambaram Temple but from Maha Periyava Manimantapam at Orikkai. The footage shows cricketer Venkatesh Iyer playing cricket with children studying there, an event that took place earlier. The video, which is over a year old, has been misrepresented to create confusion.

Journalist Sumanth Raman debunked the misinformation, calling the video "fake news" and clarifying that it had no connection to the Chidambaram Temple. He also shared a link to the original video, confirming its context and location.

This controversy comes amidst heightened tensions between the Tamil Nadu government and the Dikshitars over various issues related to the Chidambaram Temple. Last year, a visit by officials from the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department, along with police officers, to the temple's Kanagasabai (court in the temple of the Hindu deity Shiva) led to further conflict between the state government, the priests, and BJP supporters.

The temple has been mired in controversies, including investigations into alleged child marriages within its premises.