Madras High Court Orders Karthigai Deepam to be Lit at Historical Deepathoon Pillar in Thirupparankundram

The temple administration expressed opposition to the initiative.

Chennai:

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has delivered a notable verdict ahead of the Karthigai Deepam festival scheduled for December 3. Justice GR Swaminathan ruled that the Deepam must be lit not only at its customary location near the Uchi Pillaiyar Temple but also at the Deepathoon - an ancient stone lamp pillar situated on a lower peak of Thirupparankundram hill in Madurai.

The court directed temple authorities to illuminate both locations while instructing police to ensure adequate security arrangements.

The controversy centers on traditional practices spanning more than a century. Karthigai Deepam at Thirupparankundram has traditionally been lit near the Uchipillaiyar Temple, positioned midway up the hill. Petitioners contended that the ancient pillar called Deepathoon on the lower peak was historically designated for lighting the Deepam, arguing that this practice would affirm the temple's rightful claims over the hill.

Both the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Board and the Dargah administrators opposed this proposition. Their primary concerns stemmed from the Deepathoon's proximity to the hilltop mosque and the fact that lamp-lighting at this location had been discontinued for approximately one hundred years.

Thirupparankundram hill hosts both the Subramania Swamy Temple and the Sikkandar Badhusha Dargah. Historical disputes regarding land ownership and access rights date back to colonial era. A significant 1923 judgment, subsequently upheld by the Privy Council, established that except for the mosque site, the stairway, and the burial area known as Nellithope, the remainder of the hill belonged to the temple.

Justice Swaminathan determined that the Deepathoon stands on temple property - well beyond areas belonging to the Dargah - and therefore the temple possesses full rights to light the Deepam there. He specifically noted: "Deepathoon is in the unoccupied portion and belongs exclusively to the temple."

The judge emphasized that illuminating the Deepam at this ancient pillar transcends religious observance and represents a necessary assertion of the temple's legal entitlements: "For the sake of protecting its property, the temple management is obliged to light the festival lamp at the Deepathoon."

He also acknowledged that Tamil tradition recognizes the practice of lighting lamps atop hills, and that the very existence of the stone pillar indicates its intended purpose: "A Deepathoon is what it is... The very purpose of Deepathoon is to light a lamp thereon."

The court dismissed arguments that this decision would violate established customs or disturb communal harmony, noting that the Deepathoon stands nearly 50 meters from the mosque, which exceeds even previous court directives stipulating a minimum 15-meter distance from the Dargah.

With strong opposition from the HR&CE and Dargah trustees, the court's ruling will likely face appeal proceedings tomorrow.