SACRED WORKSPACES AND INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE: REIMAGINING EMPLOYEE WELL-BEING AND SOCIAL EQUITY IN SOUTH INDIAN TEMPLES

Temple institutions in South India, particularly those governed by statutory bodies such
as the Malabar, Travancore, and Cochin Devaswom Boards, have historically functioned as
religious centers as well as socio-cultural institutions with deep community engagement. Despite
this dual role, there is a striking absence of scholarly focus on the inner workings of these
temples as organizational spaces—employing a wide range of individuals across ritualistic,
administrative, custodial, and voluntary roles. This conceptual paper interrogates this critical gap
by reconceptualizing temples as sacred workspaces, where the complex interplay of tradition,
ritual authority, and social hierarchy defines both employee experience and organizational
governance. Drawing from the interdisciplinary fields of organizational behavior, workplace
inclusion, employee well-being, and cultural legitimacy theory, the paper explores how temple
governance can evolve to integrate principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) without
compromising ritual authenticity. This paper offers a forward-looking framework for rethinking
temple employment ecosystems in Kerala and broader South India. It challenges the dichotomy
between sacredness and modernity, arguing that cultural institutions must evolve to remain
ethically relevant. This reconceptualization has significant implications for policy reform,
academic scholarship, and the development of inclusive, sustainable temple governance models
grounded in both tradition and equity.