The Supreme Court on Friday issued notices to the Union Government, Tamil Nadu Government, and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on a petition seeking directions for ASI to take over the administration of the Thirupparankundram Subramaniya Swamy Temple in Madurai and to ensure uninterrupted religious practices, including lighting a lamp on top of the ‘deepathoon’ (stone pillar) on the hill.
A bench comprising Justices Aravind Kumar and Vipul M Pancholi sought responses on a writ petition filed by the Hindu Dharma Parishad, which also urged the court to permit annual lighting of lamps across the entire Thirupparankundram hill during the Karthigai festival celebrated in the Tamil month of Karthigai, and to allow Murugan devotees to worship there.
The Thirupparankundram Temple, one of the six abodes of Lord Murugan, is located on a hill in Madurai and is also an ASI-protected monument. The petition before the top court follows a recent ruling of the Madras High Court, which upheld a single-judge order permitting the lighting of a lamp atop the deepathoon, rejecting the Tamil Nadu government’s objection that it could cause a breach of public peace.
On January 6, the Madras High Court division bench of Justices G Jayachandran and K K Ramakrishnan delivered a sharp rebuke to the DMK government, calling its contention “ridiculous.” The bench held that the spot where the stone pillar stands is part of the Sri Subramania Swamy Temple and ruled in favour of allowing the religious practice.
The court categorically rejected the state’s argument that lighting a lamp could lead to law and order problems, observing that such objections were baseless in light of the religious sentiment and historical continuity of the practice.
In the Supreme Court, the Hindu Dharma Parishad sought further directions to institutionalise the lighting of the lamp on a daily basis and to vest the control of the temple hill with the ASI, citing concerns about preservation and protection of heritage.
The bench has now asked all respondents, including the Union of India, Tamil Nadu Government, ASI, and others, to file their responses.
The matter will be taken up for further hearing after the parties submit their replies.
