Madurai, Dec 4 A legal and religious dispute over the traditional lighting of the Karthigai Deepam at the Vilakkukaal (lamp pedestal) atop the Thiruparankundram hill in Tamil Nadu has escalated, prompting protests, police cases, and multiple petitions before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court.
The matter is now scheduled for an urgent hearing on Thursday.
The controversy began on Wednesday when a petition was filed at the High Court’s Madurai Bench seeking permission to light the Karthigai Deepam at the historic hill shrine -- one of the oldest battalions of the Arupadai Veedu temples of Lord Murugan.
Justice Swaminathan, who heard the plea, granted permission to light the ceremonial lamp at the hilltop pedestal. Based on this order, temple authorities initially made arrangements on the hill on Wednesday morning.
However, in a sudden move, they withdrew the arrangements, triggering sharp reactions from Hindu organisations such as Hindu Makkal Katchi, Akhil Bharath Hanuman Sena, and South India Forward Bloc.
The members of these groups staged demonstrations demanding strict adherence to the court’s directions. Later in the evening, around 6 p.m., the traditional Karthigai Deepam was lit near the Uchchipillaiyar Temple on the hilltop, as per customary practice. Following this, there was a protest, and the Thiruparankundram police registered cases against 15 individuals, including BJP State Youth Wing Secretary S.G. Suryah, for allegedly attempting to enter the hill without permission and for causing disturbance.
The charges include trespassing, public nuisance, and damaging public property under seven sections of law.
Amid the growing tension, the Additional Chief Public Prosecutor moved an appeal before Administrative Judge Jayachandran of the Madurai Bench, seeking to stay and overturn the single-judge order that permitted lighting the Deepam at the pedestal.
Justice Jayachandran admitted the appeal and listed it for hearing on this day as the first case of the morning.
Meanwhile, the district administration also filed a separate petition. Appearing for District Collector Praveen Kumar, lawyers sought a stay on the contempt petition filed by the original petitioner, Rama Ravikumar, and requested that the single-judge order be set aside.
Both petitions -- the government’s appeal and the Collector’s plea -- will be heard before Justices Jayachandran and Ramakrishnan at the Madurai Bench. The outcome is expected to determine how the traditional ritual will proceed in the coming days.
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