6 months ago
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In a large triumph to the Tenkalai sect of Vaishnavites residing successful Kancheepuram, the Madras High Court has held that lone they are entitled to recite Srisaila Dayapathram, Nalayira Divyaprabandham and Manavala Mamunigal Vaazhi Thirunamam during ceremonial worship astatine the Devarajaswamy Temple, and the Vadakalai sect should not interfere by insisting connected the recitation of Desikan Vaazhi Thirunamam and different hymns.
A Division Bench of Justices R. Suresh Kumar and S. Sounthar pointed retired that some the Tenkalai (southern cult) and the Vadakalai (northern cult) were followers of Saint Ramanujar, but had antithetic spiritual gurus. While the Tenkalai, identified by Y-shaped insignia, followed the teachings of Manavala Mamunigal; the Vadakalai, identified by U-shaped insignia, followed the teachings of their guru Vedanta Desikan.
For implicit 200 years, determination had been continuous friction betwixt the 2 sects implicit Adhiapaka Mirasi (the authoritative show of definite services to the deity during ceremonial worship astatine the temple, and during the ceremonial procession of the deity some wrong and extracurricular the temple). This had led to aggregate litigations, and a bid of judgments had been passed by the courts since the opening of the 19th century.
The judgments delivered successful 1882, 1915, 1939, and 1970 had consistently upheld the close of the Tenkalai sect, residing successful Kancheepuram, to the bureau of Adhiapaka Mirasi. The courts ruled that the Vadakalai sect could articulation the recitation of the Prabandham by the Tenkalai sect, but could not signifier a abstracted goshti (congregation) and recite their ain hymns, thereby interfering with the exclusive close of the Tenkalai.
The Vadakalai sect argued that 3 of those judgments were delivered earlier the Constitution came into unit and hence, determination was nary accidental for the courts backmost past to see the cardinal close to state of religion and besides the rights of spiritual denominations guaranteed nether Article 25 and 26. However, the Division Bench, led by Justice Kumar, rejected the statement arsenic untenable.
“The close to state of religion enshrined nether Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution cannot beryllium expanded to impact the rights of office-holders and to vitiate the peaceful ambiance successful the temple. If specified things are permitted, surely it volition impact the close to worship disposable to the different devotees,” the Bench said. It besides said the close to state of religion oregon worship was taxable to restrictions specified arsenic attraction of nationalist order.
Authoring the verdict, Justice Sounthar said: “No mean devotee oregon non-office-holder, including the members of the bluish cult, are entitled to assertion that they are besides entitled to execute the authoritative services successful the temple. For example, successful each temple successful this portion of the world, lone the authoritative clergyman of the temple is entitled to participate the sanctum sanctorum and execute puja. Likewise, lone the idiosyncratic holding the bureau of Odhuvar is entitled to recite beatified verses successful beforehand of the God.”
He went connected to state: “An mean devotee cannot emulate the relation of the authoritative priest, puja assistants oregon Odhuvar during the show of the authoritative puja by the office-holders. When rendition of beatified verses by Odhuvars is going on, an mean worshipper, successful the guise of exercising his state of religion, cannot loudly recite his ain poem arsenic per his privation truthful arsenic to interfere with the show of authoritative duties by the office-holder.”
Since the Adhiapaka Mirasi besides provides for a stock successful the voluntary contributions made by devotees, the justice said the close to clasp that bureau besides progressive the close to property. Therefore, the Division Bench directed the Executive Officer of the Devarajaswamy Temple to guarantee strict adherence to the instrumentality laid down by the courts since 1882, and to unafraid constabulary assistance, too, if required, for the peaceful show of puja.
