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SC notice to Centre on plea asking ASI to take over Madurai temple
The Supreme Court seeks responses on a petition for ASI to manage Madurai's Lord Murugan Temple and keep its hilltop lamp lit year-round.
The Supreme Court on Friday sought the response of the Centre and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on a petition seeking a direction for the latter to take over Madurai’s Thimpparankundram Lord Murugan Temple and to ensure the lamp on the top of the hill (Deepathoon) remains lit throughout the year.
A bench of justices Aravind Kumar and Vipul M Pancholi passed the order while issuing notice on a petition filed by the Hindu Dharma Parishad. The lighting of the lamp on the hill had become controversial as the temple is situated near a dargah and the Madras high court last month directed the management to light a lamp as part of the Tamil Karthigai Deepam festival while directing the state authorities not to cause any impediment. This order was later upheld by a division bench of the high court on January 6.
Advocate Jaya Sukin appearing for the Parishad told the court that the petition is also requesting the court that during the month of Karthigai, the entire Thiruparankundram hill should be lit with lamps and Lord Muruga devotees should be allowed to worship without any hindrance. He said so as following the December 1 order by justice GR Swaminathan, the authorities had imposed prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) citing apprehension of law and order situation.
A contempt petition came to be filed on which the single judge quashed the prohibitory order and summoned chief secretary and a top police official.
Noticing the proceedings before the HC, the top court bench remarked, “Is the matter still pending in the high court?” A lawyer appearing on behalf of the district authority said, “On January 6, the high court allowed the parties to light the lamp. We are in the process of filing an appeal.”
The Parishad in its petition said that for devotees to peacefully pray and perform rituals at the temple it is essential that the entire hill comes under the jurisdiction of the ASI. The plea alleged that the state was not inclined to allow devotees free access owing to the dargah having the tomb of the Islamic saint Hazrat Sultan Sikandar Badusha Shaheed situated on the same hill.
“Lighting the Karthigai Deepam on the top of the Thiruparankundram hill is a part of the ancient Tamil tradition. This custom has been around for centuries. This sacred event explains the philosophy of Lord Shiva, Thirumal and Brahma appearing in the form of fire,” the petition said.
While dismissing the state’s appeal, the HC division bench order of January 6 said, “It is ridiculous and hard to believe the fear of the mighty State that by allowing representatives of Devasthanam to light a lamp at the stone pillar on a particular day in a year will cause disturbance to public peace. Of course, it may happen only if such a disturbance is sponsored by the State itself. We pray that no State should stoop to that level to achieve their political agenda.”
