Tensions over the lighting of the sacred lamp at Thiruparankundram hilltop ended with the Karthigai Deepam being lit at its traditional spot, as right-wing activists clashed with the police in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai on Wednesday. The move defied an order by the Madras High Court, which had directed that the lamp be lit at the contested hilltop temple itself.
The clash took place during the Hindu festival of Karthigai Deepam, which celebrates the victory of light over darkness.
What is the row about?
For many years, the Thiruparankundram hill has been seen as a place where different faiths have lived in peace. The hill is home to the historic Subramaniya Swamy Temple, the Kasi Viswanathar Temple and the Sikkander Badusha Dargah, built long after the temples were established.
Earlier this week, after a petition was filed by an activist, Justice G R Swaminathan directed state officials to make sure that the sacred lamp was lit at the top of the hill. The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court had instructed that the petitioner and ten others be allowed to reach the Deepam pillar at the top of Thirupparankundram hill to light the Karthigai Deepam.
Government officials believed this went against the long-followed practice of lighting the lamp at the nearby Deepa Mandapam, a ritual carried out for several years. The state government chose to challenge the court order, raising concerns over law and order, as mentioned in an earlier HT report.
Tensions at the location also rose in February after protests by Hindu organisations when a member of parliament was accused of eating meat on the hill. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) recently described Thiruparankundram as the “Ayodhya of the South”.
The Subramaniya Swamy Temple claims ownership over almost the entire hill based on a 1920 court ruling, while the dargah has recognised rights over the mosque and other related structures.
Clash between police, activists
The situation escalated when the petitioner, Rama Ravikumar, along with Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel sent as per court directions, tried to make their way up the hill.
Protesters pulled down police barricades and tried to move towards the temple at the top. Videos of the clashes also surfaced on social media.
However, they were stopped by the police after the Madurai district collector issued prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), citing concerns about public safety and the current law and order conditions.
A senior leader of the Hindu Munnani claimed that temple officials had not prepared for lighting the lamp at the court-mandated site.
