Madras High Court allows Karthigai Deepam at Deepathoon on Thiruparankundram Hill. Justice GR Swaminathan of the Madurai Bench quashed the executive officer’s decision restricting the lamp lighting to Dheepa Mandapam near Uchipillaiyar temple. The court directed temple management to light the Deepam at the Deepathoon also, ordering police protection to ensure compliance. Lighting lamps atop hillocks during Karthigai is a deeply rooted Tamil tradition, and the very purpose of a Deepathoon is to light a lamp.
The controversy arose after the executive officer’s November 3 decision to restrict lighting, citing proximity to Sikandar Badhusha dargah on the hill. Hindu Makkal Katchi leader Rama Ravikumar and devotees challenged this restriction. Justice Swaminathan held that objections were untenable, referring to a 1923 civil court decree upheld by the Privy Council. Muslims have title only over three specific portions: Nellithope burial area, steps leading to the mosque, and the mosque site itself. The devasthanam has title over the rest of the hill. The Deepathoon is at the lower peak, at least 50 meters from the dargah, in temple-owned unoccupied portion.
The judge dismissed claims that the issue required fresh civil litigation, stating that when the lamp site is not in demarcated Muslim areas, no new suit is needed. He noted that lighting the lamp will not affect dargah rights, but failure to light it could jeopardize temple property rights. Peace committee meetings recorded no objection from dargah management to lighting beyond 15 meters from dargah precincts, a requirement the Deepathoon satisfies. The judge cited Sangam literature showing ancient roots of lighting lamps on hilltops during Karthigai month.
