Petition Filed To Stop Festival At Dargah At Centre Of Tamil Nadu Deepam Row

A writ petition has been filed before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court seeking directions not to permit the 'Kanthuri' festival at a dargah located atop the Thiruparankundram hill in the district on January 6 over animal sacrifice. This is the same dargah near which a single judge bench had allowed the lighting of a temple lamp, triggering a row. 

The petitioner has contended that earlier high court orders prohibit animal sacrifice at the hilltop and argued that doing so is an integral part of the Kanthuri festival. The petitioner claimed that allowing the festival would hurt Hindu religious sentiments.

It was also submitted that the administration of the dargah complex - which includes the grave of Sultan Sikandhar Badushah, a Sufi saint who is believed to have died fighting for the city of Madurai against Vijayanagara ruler Kumara Kampana - has neither challenged the earlier high court order nor approached the civil court to establish its rights over conducting the festival.

Seeking interim relief, the petitioner urged the court to maintain status quo till the disposal of the writ petition. Justice Jyothi Raman refused this request, however, and issued a notice to the dargah administration, directing it to file a counter affidavit. The case has been adjourned to January 2.

The petition comes days after the Santhanakoodu festival commenced with flag hoisting at the dargah on Sunday. During the event, around 30 people claiming to be local residents staged a protest, demanding permission to climb the hill and light a 'deepam' (lamp).

The police intervened and clarified that permission had been granted only for arrangements related to the Santhanakoodu festival at the Dargah. 

Following this, the BJP accused the DMK government of suppressing Hindu rights. The DMK, however, alleged that the BJP was attempting to incite communal tension.

Despite the protests, the flag hoisting was conducted peacefully, with participation from Hindu devotees and traditional Hindu Nadaswaram performances at the shrine.

Deepam Row

At the centre of the dispute is the Thirupparankundram Subramaniaswamy temple at the Thiruparankundram hill and the lighting of a lamp on the eve of Karthigai Deepam, a festival celebrated on the first full moon day of the Tamil month of Karthigai.

For more than a century, the lamp has been lit near the Ucchi Pillayar temple, which is halfway up the hill, and well clear of the dargah complex. Petitioners, however, sought to light the deepam on a pillar next to the hilltop dargah and the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court allowed it.