Madras HC Refuses To Interfere In Agama Expert Panel’s Timing For Tiruchendur Temple Consecration

In a significant development surrounding the upcoming consecration of the Subramaniya Swamy Temple in Tiruchendur, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday (24 June) refused to interfere with the timing fixed by a court-appointed committee of agama experts.

This decision comes after several petitions challenging the proposed timing and highlighting the significance of adhering to traditional practices in the temple's rituals.

The court observed that the agama experts arrived an opinion regarding the timings as 6.00 am to 6.47 am on 7 July and refused to interfere with the timings.

As per a report by The Times of India, a division bench of Justices S Srimathy and R Vijayakumar clarified that the court was compelled to form the expert panel only because the temple’s Vidhayahar had submitted three different Pattolais (ritual almanacs) without mentioning that the first two Pattolais are draft in nature.

The judges emphasised that this order was specific to the circumstances and should not be considered a precedent.

Until a civil court issues a different ruling, the court stated that the authority of the Vidhayahar in religious matters must be respected.

Additionally, it emphasized that all consultations related to rituals must henceforth occur through written communication. The Vidhayahar is required to clearly indicate whether a Pattolai is a draft or a final version.