The Tirupparankundram controversy is increasing.
There is such a hill near Madurai city of Tamil Nadu, that at first glance one might consider it to be just a pile of stones. But Tirupparankundram hill actually contains within itself stories of thousands of years. This hill has not only been a place of temples or dargahs, but it has also been an example of people’s friendly life, mutual trust and living together.
This hill has seen a lot with time. The meditation of Jain monks, the works of the poets of the Sangam era, the faith of the devotees of Lord Murugan, the shrines of Sufi saints and countless rituals related to the everyday life of the common people. Faith has never separated anyone here. People climbed up the same route, participated in each other’s festivals and fulfilled their respective vows.
but today same Tirupparankundram hill disputes Standing between. Petitions in the courts, demonstrations on the streets, debates in TV studios and noise till the Parliament, everything has been linked to this hill. The situation is becoming such that an atmosphere like ‘Ayodhya movement’ is being created in the South?
The hill that does not belong to just one religion
To understand Tirupparankundram, we should not look at it from the perspective of any one religion or community. This hill has been associated with many traditions since the beginning. Jain monks came here about 2300 years ago. He made this hill the place of his penance. Even today, his sleeping place made on stones and inscriptions written in old Tamil script are present here. This tells us that even then this place was a center of peace and meditation. After this came the Sangam period. Tamil poets of that period gave place to this hill in their works. Then it was called ‘Murugan Kundram’. That means the hill of Lord Murugan.
The marriage of Lord Murugan and Devnai took place here
Tirupparankundram is a very sacred place for Tamil Hindus. It is considered to be the first of the six major pilgrimage sites of Lord Murugan. It is believed that the marriage of Lord Murugan and Devnai took place here. This is the reason why thousands of devotees come here every year. The temple has temples not only of Murugan but also of Ganesha, Durga, Vishnu and Shiva. This tells that this place has been welcoming all the gods and all the devotees since the beginning.
Development and history of the temple
In the eighth century, the Pandya kings built a stone temple here. From that time this place developed into a major religious centre. With time many gods and goddesses started being worshiped here. Old inscriptions show that different rulers contributed to the development of this temple. Someone made arrangements for lighting lamps, while someone promoted festivals.
Muslim rule and beginning of Dargah
Madurai came under the rule of Muslim rulers in the 14th century. A story related to Sikandar Shah, the last ruler of this time, is associated with Tirupparankundram. It is said that he came to this hill after the war and died here. Later a dargah was built here in his memory. Gradually this place became a center of faith for the Muslim community also. The special thing is that this Dargah was not built through any struggle. According to local beliefs, the Hindu rulers of that time accepted it. This is the reason why both temple and dargah are present together here.
Kanduri of Muslim community, Nerathi Kadan of Hindus
The most unique tradition of Tirupparankundram is Kanduri. In this, after the vow is fulfilled, food is cooked and distributed among all. The Muslim community does it, but Hindus also participate in it. Hindu society considers it like Nerathi Kadan. The purpose of both traditions is the same. Thank God and share happiness with society. Even today many Hindu families participate in Kanduri. At the same time, Muslim people participate enthusiastically in temple festivals.
What is the controversy related to Tirupparankundram?
The current controversy related to Tirupparankundram is not actually a direct conflict over any temple or dargah, but it has started from a symbolic question related to a religious tradition. The issue is at which place the sacred lamp named Karthigai Deepam should be lit. This lamp has been burning at a fixed place for years and there was no dispute regarding it for a long time. But when the demand for changing this tradition arose, the matter gradually turned into a legal, administrative and then political conflict.
When did the controversy start in Karthigai Deepam?
Karthigai Deepam is an important religious festival for Tamil Hindus. This lamp has traditionally been lit in the Uchi Pillaiyar temple in Tirupparankundram. This system is decades old and the local people have been seeing it as a common religious tradition. For a long time no one raised the question why the lamp could not be lit anywhere else. But for the first time in the 1990s, some people argued that since the entire hill is considered sacred, the lamp should be lit at a place called Deepthoon located on the top of the hill.
Madras High Court gave important decision
This demand first came before the court in 1994. At that time, the Madras High Court considered the matter and ruled in 1996 that the lamp would be lit at the same place where the tradition was going on. The purpose of the court at that time was not to support any religious party, but to ensure that social peace was not disturbed by any new decision. After this, this issue remained silent for many years and the lamp continued to burn every year as before.
The court again made harsh remarks in the year 2014
Nearly twenty years later, in 2014, this demand was raised again. This time also the court clearly said that devotees cannot get the religious system of their choice implemented by the court. The court also said that the judiciary should intervene in religious matters only when the administration fails in its duties. This argument was repeated once again in 2017. After these decisions, there was a general feeling that this matter was now closed.
Controversy suddenly emerged again in 2024
This controversy suddenly resurfaced in 2024. This time a new petition was filed, arguing that the ownership of the Tirupparankundram hill was given to the temple administration in an old court decision dating back to the 1920s. The petitioner said that when the hill belongs to the temple, then lighting the lamp on the top of the hill should not be stopped. He also said that no court has clearly banned lighting of lamps on Deepthoon, hence this demand should be reconsidered.
Permission granted to light a lamp on the hill top
While hearing this petition in December 2024, a judge ordered that the lamp should be lit at the Deepthoon pillar located on the top of the hill. When this order was not implemented on the festival day, the judge, considering that the order had been flouted, allowed the petitioner and some others to light the lamps themselves. From here the dispute became more serious.
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The state administration did not obey the court order
The state administration and police refused to implement this order. He said that an appeal has been filed against this decision, there could be a situation of tension in the area and there is a danger of law and order deteriorating. The administration closed the roads leading to the hill due to security reasons. Even the central security forces were stopped from moving forward. The result was that the lamp could not be lit and the matter suddenly became a topic of national debate.
Shadow of politics cast in controversy
After this, politics completely got involved in the dispute. Opposition parties alleged that the government was suppressing the religious sentiments of Hindus and not following the court order. At the same time, the ruling party said that this attempt to change the tradition is going to divide the society and this may disturb the religious balance that has been going on for years. The government also said that this issue is being deliberately made bigger so that political advantage can be taken.
The matter gradually reached the Lok Sabha
Gradually this matter reached the Parliament. There was an uproar in the Lok Sabha, objections were raised to the comments of some leaders and the question of the dignity of the judiciary was raised. During this time, some political parties also talked about serious steps like impeachment against the judge concerned, about which discussion started across the country. The judiciary also indicated that such statements against him were crossing constitutional limits.
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