http://youtube.com/post/UgkxH6WmJLYKYLpL8NL8ELzTkbzRiAmvUmbO?si=oFWTRFdoC178DsT_ [10/07, 18:03] sekarreporter1: *Madras High Court Refuses to Entertain Plea Seeking Tamil Chanting During Consecration at Madurai Meenakshi Temple – Writ Petition Withdrawn* A Public Interest Litigation was filed before the Madras High Court by petitioner Sathiyabama seeking a direction that the forthcoming

[10/07, 18:03] sekarreporter1: http://youtube.com/post/UgkxH6WmJLYKYLpL8NL8ELzTkbzRiAmvUmbO?si=oFWTRFdoC178DsT_
[10/07, 18:03] sekarreporter1: *Madras High Court Refuses to Entertain Plea Seeking Tamil Chanting During Consecration at Madurai Meenakshi Temple – Writ Petition Withdrawn*
A Public Interest Litigation was filed before the Madras High Court by petitioner Sathiyabama seeking a direction that the forthcoming Kumbabishekam (Consecration) of the Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, Madurai, be performed in the Tamil language. The petitioner also sought permission to personally participate in the consecration ceremony by chanting mantras.
The writ petition came up for hearing before the Division Bench comprising the Hon’ble Chief Justice, Mr. Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari, and Mr. Justice Arul Murugan.
Since the issues raised in the writ petition directly affected the rights and duties of Sivachariyars, an application was filed on their behalf seeking to implead themselves as parties to the proceedings.
Appearing for the Sivachariyars, Senior Advocate P. Valliappan submitted that the controversy was no longer res integra. He pointed out that the legal position has been conclusively settled by the Supreme Court beginning with Seshammal v. State of Tamil Nadu (1972), reaffirmed in Adi Saiva Sivachariyargal Nala Sangam v. State of Tamil Nadu (2016), and subsequently by a Division Bench of the Madras High Court in 2022. He further informed the Court that connected issues are presently pending consideration before the Supreme Court.
The Senior Advocate contended that in Agamic temples, the performance of Kumbabishekam, including the chanting of Vedic and Agamic mantras, can be undertaken only by duly qualified Sivachariyars in accordance with the Agamas. No outsider or interloper can claim a legal right either to perform the consecration or to chant mantras during the ceremony.
He further submitted that the issue is not one of Tamil versus Sanskrit, but one concerning the preservation of Agamic traditions and established temple practices. According to the Agamas, the consecration rituals are performed with the prescribed Sanskrit mantras, following which Thevaram, Thiruvasagam and other Thirumurais appropriate to the temple tradition are rendered.
During the hearing, the Division Bench expressed its unwillingness to accept the case put forward by the petitioner. The Bench also noted that while styling the petition as a Public Interest Litigation, the petitioner had in fact asserted a personal right to participate in the consecration ceremony. As the Court indicated that it was not inclined to entertain the writ petition and was proposing to dismiss it, learned counsel for the petitioner sought permission to withdraw the case.
Accepting the request, the Division Bench dismissed the writ petition as withdrawn.