Justices P Velmurugan and KK Ramakrishnan passed the directions on a PIL petition moved by P Ramesh (52) of Nerur in Manmangalam taluk of Karur. Ramesh in his plea stated that the Aravayee
MADURAI: The vacation bench of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the district collector of Karur and its superintendent of police (SP), and the IGP (Central zone) to appear before it on Thursday in connection with a plea seeking a direction to the authorities to have the temple chariot of the Aravayee Amman temple at Senappadi taken to the SC community-dominated Nerur for rituals during the upcoming Vaikasi festival.
A Division Bench of Justices P Velmurugan and KK Ramakrishnan passed the directions on a PIL petition moved by P Ramesh (52) of Nerur in Manmangalam taluk of Karur. Ramesh in his plea stated that the Aravayee Amman temple at Senappadi belongs to members of both the SC and caste Hindu (Vanniyar) communities.
On the second day of the three-day festival during the Tamil month of Vaikasi, the chariot of the Amman temple is usually brought to the Mariamman temple in Nerur during which residents hailing from the same SC community as I prepare Pongal and perform poojas in front of the chariot before it is taken back to Senappadi. This year the festival falls during May 21-23, the petitioner stated.
However, for the past 15 years, the chariot has not entered our area despite repeated requests to the committee members of the temple. The committee turned down their requests this year too, the petitioner added.
A petition seeking the revival of the custom submitted to the district collector was forwarded to the HR&CE department as well but the latter refused to entertain it stating that the temple under contention does not come under its purview, the petitioner further said.
A second petition with the collector also yielded no positive response, he added. Following this, the court directed the authorities concerned to appear before it and adjourned the case to Thursday.
