Madurai: The Madurai High Court on Monday upheld a lower court order permitting the ceremonial lighting of the Karthigai Deepam atop the historic stone pillar at Thiruparankundram, bringing an end to a prolonged and polarising dispute. A division bench comprising Justice G Jayachandran and Justice K K Ramakrishnan ruled that the controversy had been unduly politicised and stressed that heritage and public order considerations must guide the festival practice.
The court reaffirmed that the lamp may be lit on festival occasions, but clarified that public access will be regulated and coordinated with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to ensure preservation of the protected site and avoid law and order challenges.
The litigation began after Hindu Tamil Party leader Rama Ravikumar filed a petition seeking directions for the lighting of the Deepam at the hilltop pillar. In December 2025, a single judge had allowed the petition and ordered the festival lighting, but authorities had initially declined to implement the directive, citing potential public unrest.
In its judgment, the division bench underscored that the state administration should have utilised community dialogue and mediation to defuse tensions, rather than allowing the dispute to escalate. The court also noted the dual sanctity of the site, which includes both a temple space and a dargah, and stressed that any ceremonial activity must respect the sensitivities of all communities.
Temple representatives maintained that the historic lamp site has been an established tradition for over a century, aligned with customary Agama practices. In contrast, the state government and the temple administration had argued in court that there was no definitive evidence of a historic lamp pillar at the summit and urged caution, citing possible disturbances to peace and order.
The issue had previously sparked widespread debate and even tragedy; a 40-year-old man reportedly died by self-immolation amid the controversy, reflecting the deep emotional stakes involved for some devotees.
Political reactions were swift. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) welcomed the verdict, hailing it as a “major victory for the Hindu faith in Tamil Nadu.” BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla criticised the ruling DMK government in a post on X, claiming the decision exposed its stance on religious matters.
The High Court’s judgment attempts to strike a balance between tradition, constitutional rights, heritage protection, and communal harmony, while placing responsibility on authorities to manage festival rituals with care and sensitivity.
