Chennai, December 13: The Tamil Nadu government on Friday told the Madras High Court that there is no proof of any traditional practice of lighting the Karthigai Deepam on top of the Thiruparankundram hill and challenged a single-bench order permitting the ritual at the hilltop.
Hearing a batch of petitions related to the long-running Thiruparankundram Karthigai Deepam dispute, a division bench was informed by the state that the December 1 order allowing the temple administration to light the deepam at the hilltop was contrary to established custom.
Arguing for the government, Advocate General said that for centuries, and at least for the past 100 years, the Karthigai Deepam has been lit only near the Uchipillaiyar temple. He contended that the petition before the court was not a public interest litigation but a private interest plea, and that the petitioner must first establish the existence of the alleged ‘deepathoon’ and its link to any customary religious practice.
The state also cited a series of court judgments from 1923 to 2018 to argue that it is the temple administration alone that has the authority to decide the location of the ritual. Article 226 of the Constitution, the Advocate General said, cannot be invoked to alter long-established customs.
Supporting the state’s stand, senior counsel appearing for the temple’s executive officer submitted that there was no evidence to show that the deepam was ever lit at the alleged deepathoon, describing it as merely a survey pillar. Counsel for the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Commissioner told the court that temple records spanning over 150 years clearly show that the deepam has always been lit only at the Uchipillaiyar temple.
The dispute over lighting the Karthigai Deepam at Thiruparankundram hill has been the subject of litigation for several years. The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court had earlier directed that the lamp be lit at the hilltop, a decision that has now been challenged by the state in appeal.
Even as the legal battle continues, a parallel debate has intensified on social media over whether the structure on the hilltop is a traditional lamp post or merely a survey stone. After hearing arguments from all sides, the division bench adjourned the matter to Monday, when the petitioner is scheduled to begin submissions.
Meanwhile, a group of Thiruparankundram residents has announced a fast in support of lighting the Karthigai Deepam on the hilltop.
