Venkatesh: I had the privilege of receiving a small note from the Kanchi Mutt. This has been sent by the Paramacharya during the formation of the Constitution. I will just read it and have it circulated. If such a Constitution is guaranteed as being good for the independent running of religious institutions, it is no small measure due to the initiative of the Kanchi Paramacharya. Originally, the wording was every religious denomination shall have the right. Nobody found any discrepancy in the wording, including the Constitution makers. His Holiness alone felt that this was not enough. No Hindu thinks of himself first as a Hindu. He thinks in terms such as Vaishnavite, Shaivite, Smartha or Saiva Siddhanta. Similarly, no religious institution in India is run under the label of Hinduism. We have Vaishnavas, Saiva Smarthas, Saiva Siddhantas and so on. Therefore, the word religious denomination by itself was not sufficient. It was felt that the wording should be every religious denomination or any section thereof shall have the right. This was ultimately accepted. This shows that the issue had engaged the attention of the Kanchi Mahaswami as far back as 1948, and that is how Articles 25 and 26 underwent certain changes.
