5 months ago
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The Tamil Nadu authorities connected Friday (December 12, 2025) informed the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court that the deepam (lamp)was lit astatine the Uchipillaiyar temple mandapam successful Thirupparankundram elevation during Karthigai Deepam this twelvemonth excessively arsenic it was done for implicit the past 150 years.
Besides, it submitted determination was nary grounds to beryllium that the chromatic pillar — wherever a azygous justice directed the lamp to beryllium lit this twelvemonth — is called a deepathoon and thedeepam was [ever] lit connected it arsenic a customary practice.
A Division Bench of Justices G. Jayachandran and K.K. Ramachandran commenced proceeding appeals preferred against the bid of Justice G.R. Swaminathan who had directed the Subramaniya Swamy temple absorption to airy Karthigai Deepam astatine the deepathoon (pillar) too the accustomed places and besides different connected appeals.
The State submitted that for much than 150 years, the Mahadeepam had been lit lone astatine the Uchipillaiyar temple mandapam and ne'er astatine the ‘deepathoon’. No temple record, register, inscription, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department file, oregon Agama notation supports the petitioners assertion of a accepted deepathoon site.
Advocate General P.S. Raman, representing the State, referred to the erstwhile judgments successful transportation to the issue. He pointed retired determination was nary notation of the deepathoon in the orders connected the suit filed successful 1920 demarcating the portions belonging to the temple and the dargah. In 1994, a petition was filed regarding lighting of the deepam. In its judgement successful 1996, the Madras High Court refused to licence the lighting of the deepam in immoderate different spot different than the accepted spot the Uchipillaiyar temple mandapam, helium said.
After bid prevailed for 18 years, different petition was filed successful 2014 to alteration the determination of lighting the deepam. The petition was dismissed. A Division Bench of the tribunal had upheld the bid successful 2017 and refused the shifting of the spot arsenic it would impact peace.
The AG submitted that the close to worship should output to nationalist order. Pointing to the contiguous lawsuit and Justice Swaminathan’s December 1 order, the AG submitted nary grounds was placed earlier the Single Bench to reason that the chromatic pillar was a deepathoon. The Single Bench should person leaned successful favour of the presumption quo to support bid and tranquility. In the lack of immoderate grounds to amusement that the chromatic pillar is simply a deepathoon the petitioner does not person ineligible close seeking to lit astatine the structure.
The temple priests had besides said the deepam should beryllium lit astatine the Uchipillayar temple mandapam. It was the lone adept sentiment available. If aggrieved it was for the petitioner to record a civilian suit, helium said. There was nary impervious to amusement that traditions were abandoned. Article 226 of the Constitution cannot beryllium utilized to alteration a customary practice.
Senior counsel G. Masilamani representing the Executive Officer of the Subramaniya Swamy temple besides submitted determination was nary grounds to amusement that deepathoon was wherever Kathigai Deepam was lit [in past times] and determination was nary grounds to amusement the chromatic pillar is simply a deepathoon. The Single Bench ought to person referred the substance to a larger seat arsenic a Division Bench had decided the matter, helium said.
Representing the HR and CE Commissioner, elder counsel R. Shunmugasundaram submitted that [on the different hand] determination were records to amusement that for 150 years, the Mahadeepam had been lit lone astatine the Uchipillaiyar temple mandapam. The tribunal posted the substance for proceeding to December 15, 2025.
