No ‘first honour’ for any community: Madras High Court bans discrimination at Madurai temples ahead of major festival

The Madras High Court said that the Kumbabishegam festival should not be conducted by a single individual, especially in a multi-community setting.

3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Feb 7, 2026 12:07 PM IST

Kumbabishegam festival madurai madras high court

The Madras High Court was hearing a plea of man seeking direction to local authorities to form a committee comprising members of all communities. (Image generated using AI)

Observing that there shall not be any discrimination in religious celebration, the Madras High Court has directed the formation of a representative committee to conduct the Kumbabishegam festival at several temples in Melapanankadi village of Madurai, scheduled for February 8.

Justice S Srimathy was hearing a plea of a man seeking direction to the local authorities to form a committee comprising members of all communities for the celebration of the Kumbabishegam festival.

Justice S Srimathy said that the fit person, along with this committee, shall be responsible for the conduct of the Kumbabishegam festival. (Image enhanced using AI)

“The Kumbabishekam cannot be conducted by an individual, especially when there are five communities in the village,” the court said on February 2.

The order added that there shall not be any “first honour” to any person or community, and there shall be no discrimination.

Also Read | Deity sole owner, not pujari, Madhya Pradesh High Court rules in tenant landlord dispute

Court's Core Principle

Equal Representation Mandatory

Court Directive

Representative committee ordered for Kumbabishegam festival on February 8

Key Ruling

Kumbabishegam cannot be conducted by individual when five communities exist in village

No Discrimination

No "first honour" to any person or community allowed

Location & Temples

Four temples in Melapanankadi village, Madurai: Ayyanar, Muniyandi Swamy, Karupasamy, Muthumariamman

Committee Formation

Fit person appointed to include one member from each of five communities

Judicial Bench

Justice S Srimathy, Madras High Court (February 2 order)

Express InfoGenIE

Findings

The petitioner belongs to Melapanankadi Village, Madurai North Taluk, Madurai, and the respondent man claims to also belong to the same village.
The temple, namely, Arulmighu Ayyanar Temple, Arulmighu Muniyandi Swamy Temple, Arulmighu
Karupasamy Temple and Arulmighu Muthumariamman Temple are situated in the same village.
There are five community people residing in the same village.
On January 21, the court directed the Hindu religious and charitable endowments department to appoint a ‘fit person’.
It is submitted that a fit person (in Tamil Nadu, a fit person is a legal, administrative appointee designated by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department to temporarily manage temple affairs) was already appointed on January 29.
The issue now is who should conduct the Kumbabishekam festival.
A person from the village claims the right to conduct the Kumbabishekam.
The Kumbabishekam cannot be conducted by an individual, especially when there are five communities in the village, and the order has already been passed for the appointment of a fit person.
It would be appropriate to form a committee including the said villagers.
A fit person is directed to appoint one person from each community and form a Committee.
The fit person, along with the committee, shall conduct the Kumbabishekam festival.
The person is directed to hand over all the relevant records to the committee and the fit person.

Also Read | Temple honours not an absolute right, deity has first claim: Madras High Court

Background

The petitioner, Rathinam, approached the court seeking a mandamus to direct local authorities to form a committee of members from the Mutharayar, Maravar, and Adhi Dravidar communities for the celebration of the Kumbabishegam festival.
The festival, scheduled for February 8, involves the Arulmighu Ayyanar, Arulmighu Muniyandi Swamy, Arulmighu Karupasamy, and Arulmighu Muthumariamman Temple situated at Melapanankadi, Madurai North Taluk.
The legal dispute arose when one of the responded Rajeshkannan from the village, claimed the exclusive right to conduct the Kumbabishegam.

Jagriti Rai

Jagriti Rai works with The Indian Express, where she writes from the vital intersection of law, gender, and society. Working on a dedicated legal desk, she focuses on translating complex legal frameworks into relatable narratives, exploring how the judiciary and legislative shifts empower and shape the consciousness of citizens in their daily lives. Expertise Socio-Legal Specialization: Jagriti brings a critical, human-centric perspective to modern social debates. Her work focuses on how legal developments impact gender rights, marginalized communities, and individual liberties. Diverse Editorial Background: With over 4 years of experience in digital and mainstream media, she has developed a versatile reporting style. Her previous tenures at high-traffic platforms like The Lallantop and Dainik Bhaskar provided her with deep insights into the information needs of a diverse Indian audience. Academic Foundations: Post-Graduate in Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), India’s premier media training institute. Master of Arts in Ancient History from Banaras Hindu University (BHU), providing her with the historical and cultural context necessary to analyze long-standing social structures and legal evolutions. ... Read More