In a packed courtroom at the Madurai Bench, Justice G.R. Swaminathan delivered a detailed and rather passionate order on the long-running dispute over where the Karthigai Deepam should be lit on Thirupparankundram hill. The hearing, which stretched across multiple days, saw arguments from temple devotees, HR&CE officials, Dargha representatives and even senior government lawyers - all pushing their sharply differing versions of “tradition”.
Background
The dispute dates back more than a century, rooted in overlapping claims between the Subramania Swamy Temple and the Sikkandar Badhusha Dargha.
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The core issue: whether the annual festival lamp should be lit at the lower peak’s stone lamp pillar known as Deepathoon, or continue at the usual Uchi Pillaiyar site halfway up the hill. Earlier civil suits, including O.S No.4 of 1920 and even a Privy Council appeal, had already decided who owns what on the hill. The judge recalled these judgments in almost story-like detail during the hearing, noting that historical documents and even Sangam-era poetry were used as evidence of the site’s Hindu significance.
Court’s Observations
The session had an interesting tone. At one point, Justice Swaminathan remarked - half in frustration, half in clarity - that the “question here is not merely of custom, but of right”. He even quoted Tamil epics and local sayings to illustrate how lamp-lighting atop a hill remains a deep cultural symbol in Tamil Nadu.
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“The bench observed, ‘A Deepathoon is meant for lighting lamps. Res ipsa loquitur - the thing speaks for itself.’”
The judge also revealed that he personally visited the site after announcing it in open court. His description of diverging paths, rocky slopes and the visible distance between the mosque and the Deepathoon added a human touch rarely seen in formal judicial writing. The court noted that the Deepathoon is well outside the protected areas belonging to the Dargha and sits on land legally declared temple property since 1923.
He also pulled up the temple management for being “overly passive” in protecting its property, suggesting that devotees - not trustees - were taking the lead in safeguarding temple interests. The judge stressed that restoring traditions is part of the temple’s legal duty.
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Decision
In the final direction, the court quashed the temple executive officer’s refusal and ordered the temple management to light the Karthigai Deepam at the Deepathoon as well - in addition to continuing the existing practice at the Uchi Pillaiyar site. The judge emphasized that lighting the lamp would not harm the Dargha’s rights in any way and is essential for preserving both tradition and the temple’s property boundaries.
With that, the bench disposed of the petitions, making it clear that the order is rooted in history, law and cultural continuity - not in present-day communal tensions. The decision ends at the court’s own directive for the festival’s conduct.
Case Title: Rama Ravikumar vs The District Collector, Madurai & Others (Clubbed with connected petitions)
Case Numbers: W.P.(MD) Nos. 32317, 33112, 33197, 33724, 34051 of 2025
Case Type: Writ Petitions filed under Article 226 (Mandamus / Certiorarified Mandamus)
Decision Date: 01 December 2025