The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday issued a sharply worded contempt order after officials failed to carry out its earlier directive to light the Karthigai Deepam festival lamp at a disputed stone pillar on Tirupparankundram hill — a site long contested by Hindu temple authorities and the adjoining Muslim dargah.
The Thirupparankundram hill houses the temple dedicated to Lord Subramanya Swamy and also the Sikkandar Badhusah Dargah.
Justice G R Swaminathan, who on Monday ordered the temple administration to light the ceremonial lamp at the Deepathoon — a lower peak near the mosque — ruled that district authorities had wilfully disobeyed his explicit instruction to perform the ritual at 6pm on Wednesday. The judge allowed the petitioner and ten others to climb the hill and light the lamp themselves under protection from Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel, calling the act “symbolic but necessary” to uphold the authority of the court.
The latest contempt ruling follows Justice Swaminathan’s detailed order on Monday directing the temple to revive what he described as a “tradition” of lighting the ‘deepam’ at the Deepathoon. The order cited archival litigation, including a 1920 civil suit and Privy Council findings, to assert that the pillar sits on temple-owned land and not within the area controlled by the mosque.
In his earlier ruling, the judge wrote that the hill comprises two peaks — the higher one with the dargah and a lower one where the Deepathoon sits. Lighting the lamp at the lower peak, he said, would not “affect the rights of the dargah or Muslims in any manner”.
The CISF protection order, unusual in a religious matter, now effectively places the central security force between two religious communities at a site already sensitive for its shared Hindu-Muslim geography.
By Wednesday evening, as news of the contempt ruling spread and at least three dozen CISF personnel arrived at the hill to enforce the court’s order, Hindu Munnani activists began assembling around the temple zone. Officers used mild force to disperse groups that attempted to clash with the local police personnel. Police officials said at least six personnel were injured after Hindu Munnani supporters allegedly pelted stones at officers during the enforcement of the court’s order, shortly after the ruling came in their favour.
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Soon, the Madurai District Magistrate issued a prohibitory order to stabilise the situation: “In View of Emergent Law and Order Situation at Thirupanakaundram, The Prohibitory Orders are Promulgated u/s 163, BNSS (144 CrPC)… to ensure public safety and maintain peace — effective until further orders.”
Though the petitions were filed in individual names, those involved are not local worshippers or residents directly affected by the long-running dispute.
By the time the contempt petition was heard Wednesday evening, the lamp at the Uchi Pillaiyar shrine had been lit but the Deepathoon remained unlit — a key point because the judge had assigned the temple’s Executive Officer personal responsibility for ensuring compliance.
“The Deepam had been lit at Uchi Pillaiyar Temple at 06.00 PM. But there has been no lighting of the Deepam at the Deepathoon,” Justice Swaminathan said.
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When the court sought clarification, the temple’s counsel told the bench he was unable to reach the Executive Officer responsible for carrying out the directive.
“Clock cannot be put back,” the judge wrote. “The authorities have made it clear that they would not implement the order of this Court.”
Throughout the order, Justice Swaminathan framed the issue not only as a matter of religious practice but of judicial authority and constitutional duty. The refusal of officials, he wrote, was “a defiance” of a binding court directive.
The contempt matter will be listed again Thursday for compliance reporting.
Arun Janardhanan is an experienced and authoritative Tamil Nadu correspondent for The Indian Express. Based in the state, his reporting combines ground-level access with long-form clarity, offering readers a nuanced understanding of South India’s political, judicial, and cultural life - work that reflects both depth of expertise and sustained authority.
Expertise
Geographic Focus: As Tamil Nadu Correspondent focused on politics, crime, faith and disputes, Janardhanan has been also reporting extensively on Sri Lanka, producing a decade-long body of work on its elections, governance, and the aftermath of the Easter Sunday bombings through detailed stories and interviews.
Key Coverage Areas:
State Politics and Governance: Close reporting on the DMK and AIADMK, the emergence of new political actors such as actor Vijay’s TVK, internal party churn, Centre–State tensions, and the role of the Governor.
Legal and Judicial Affairs: Consistent coverage of the Madras High Court, including religion-linked disputes and cases involving state authority and civil liberties.
Investigations: Deep-dive series on landmark cases and unresolved questions, including the Tirupati encounter and the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, alongside multiple investigative series from Tamil Nadu.
Culture, Society, and Crisis: Reporting on cultural organisations, language debates, and disaster coverage—from cyclones to prolonged monsoon emergencies—anchored in on-the-ground detail.
His reporting has been recognised with the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism.
Beyond journalism, Janardhanan is also a screenwriter; his Malayalam feature film Aarkkariyam was released in 2021. ... Read More
