The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has upheld a previous ruling that the traditional Karthigai Deepam must be lit on the hilltop at Thiruparankundram Hill. This decision comes after an appeal by the Tamil Nadu government and the temple administration was dismissed. The Division Bench, consisting of Justices G. Jayachandran and K.K. Ramakrishnan, affirmed the order issued by Justice G.R. Swaminathan.
Justice Swaminathan had directed the temple authorities to allow the lighting of the ceremonial lamp on the hilltop lamp pillar during the annual Karthigai festival. The dispute arose from a petition requesting permission to light the Karthigai lamp at Thiruparankundram, a site of significant religious and cultural importance near Madurai.
The petitioners argued that lighting the lamp was a longstanding religious practice associated with the temple and the Karthigai Deepam celebrations, supported by historical evidence. However, the state government and temple administration opposed the plea, expressing concerns about potential law and order issues and disputing the existence of a lamp pillar on the hilltop.
During the hearing, the petitioners presented documentary evidence, including references from a 1961 book published by the Thiruparankundram temple Devasthanam, supporting the lighting of the Karthigai lamp on the hilltop pillar. Justice G.R. Swaminathan, relying on this evidence, granted the petition, leading to an appeal by the temple administration and state government.
The Division Bench, in dismissing the appeal, criticized the state government’s arguments, stating that the fears of law and order disturbances were baseless. It also refuted the claim that the lamp pillar belonged to the dargah, citing insufficient evidence. The judges further noted that the Madurai district administration had unnecessarily complicated the issue instead of supporting a traditional religious practice.
Upholding the single judge’s order, the Bench ruled that the direction to light the lamp on Thiruparankundram Hill must be followed annually during the festival, resolving a longstanding and contentious matter.
