Plea filed in Madras HC towards govt order permitting devotees to climb Mandapam of Chidambaram temple

In the most recent growth within the controversy over the Tamil Nadu authorities interfering within the non secular actions of the Chidambaram Natarajar temple, a petition opposing a authorities order issued in May 2022 permitting pilgrims to ascend the Kanakasabhai Mandapam for a glimpse of the deity at Sri Sabhayagar Temple in Chidambaram has been filed with the Madras High Court.

During the Aani Thirumanjanam pageant, only for 4 days from June 24 to 27, monks who oversee the Thillai Nataraja temple had prohibited pilgrims from ascending the golden platform as a result of safety issues. The temple administration takes the step to make sure giant crowds are managed easily, as lots of devotees go to the temple throughout the annual pageant. However, the state authorities has tried to overturn this resolution of the temple utilizing the order.

The monks argued that it could be difficult to guard the gems and perform the puja whereas coping with the massive variety of devotees current on this specific event. Consequently, a board was arrange with the restrictions written on it. However, the board was eliminated by the HR and CE officers on 26 June.

TR Ramesh, the president of the Temple Worshippers Society and the Indic Collective Trust has filed the petition. Ramesh asserts within the plea {that a} Tamil-speaking Vedic Saivite group referred to as the “Chidambaram Dikshitars” had been conducting deity worship and managing the temple for shut to 2 thousand years. In addition, he stated that on May 17, 2022, the State of Tamil Nadu’s Principal Secretary for Tourism, Culture, and Religious Endowment Department issued a Government Order permitting common authorization to pilgrims visiting the Chidambaram Temple.

This is a day after the Chidambaram temple monks had been booked by the Police for proscribing the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department (HR&CE) officers from providing prayers on the sacred stage kanagasabai mandapam contained in the temple. The authorities of Tamil Nadu’s Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department oversees and supervises administration of numerous Hindy temples all through the state. However, the Chidambaram temple shouldn’t be beneath their jurisdiction. It has been alleged that the government is attempting to take over the temple at present managed by the Dikshitars.

Ramesh argued within the plea that whereas the contested order is said to have been permitted based mostly on suggestions from the Commissioner, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department, and after session with the District Collector, it omits to say session with the Secretary to Podhu Dikshitars. Ramesh continued by saying that the authorities had additionally uncared for to say the authority they’d with a purpose to problem such directions.

“I respectfully submit that the 1st Respondent has failed to mention as to the powers, if any, available to him to pass any orders concerning a denominational institution, especially when Sections 105(a) and 107 of the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act 1959 preclude every authority from passing any orders in violation of the established usage of an institution and in violation of the rights of a religious denomination guaranteed under Article 26 of the Indian Constitution”, the plea learn as quoted by the Live Law.

Ramesh continued, “The contested GO has directly interfered with the performance of rituals in the Kanaka Sabhai, a raised platform immediately beneath the temple’s sanctum sanctorum.” He additional stated that, up to now, devotees who wished to do specific archana had been permitted entry contained in the Kanaka Sabhai solely at particular occasions, however even this follow was discontinued after the epidemic broke out.

He added that after some motivated and non-believers began elevating points, the Secretary of Podhu Dikshitarts made the choice to forbid anybody from receiving Darshan from the Kanaka Sabhai, which resulted within the passing of the contested GO.

The argument additional asserts that it’s impractical to accommodate devotees within the Kanaka Sabhai, which solely has room for 7 to 10 devotees, and that giving preferential remedy to pick out individuals may hurt the temple’s environment of peace and secrecy and invite criticism and accusations from most of the people.

Additionally, it claims that the contested GO was made with out energy and in violation of Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution as a result of the Principal Secretary couldn’t find any reference to it within the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Act.

Therefore, the plea asks that the contested GO be declared extremely vires, illegal, arbitrary, and with out authority, and it additionally asks for a suspension of its implementation whereas the case is being resolved.

Kanagasabai is a mix of two Tamil phrases, kanagam that means gold and sabai that means court docket. Since the idol is believed to be performing Bharathanatyam, one of many conventional Indian dance kinds, within the court docket manufactured from gold, the court docket is known as Kanagasabai.