Plea to permit Karthigai month poojas at Velliangiri

Chennai: A Public Interest Litigation has been filed in the Madras high court, which sought a direction to the authorities to grant permission to conduct the pooja during the month of Tamil calendar month of Karthigai more specifically from November 17, 2019 to December 16, 2019 and also to lit the Maha Karthigai Deepam from December 10, 2019 to December 12, 2019 at the 7th hills, Velliangiri Suyambu Aandavar (Kappukkadu Block II Reserve Forest Area), Poluvampatti Range, Perur Taluk, Coimbatore.

A division bench comprising Justices M.Sathyanarayanan and N.Seshasayee before whom the PIL filed by D.Saravanan of Dindigul district, came up for hearing ordered notice to the state government and HR & CE and posted to November 13, further hearing of the case.

According to petitioner, he is an ardent devotee of Arulmigu Thenkayilai Andavar temple and an office bearer of the said temple devotees welfare association called Anaiyaatheepakkulu. The temple situated in Velliangiri in Western Ghats is called Arulmigu Velliangiri Malai Andavar Temple. The temple was situated at 7th hills and 6,000 meters above the sea level. The idol is believed to be self manifested (Suyambu). The temple is considered to be 3,000 years old. The devotees used to pray in the Tamil month of Karthigai and lighting the traditional devotional lamp called Karthigai Deepam. This tradition of lighting the Karthigai Depam was being followed by devotees for many generations without any hindrance or interference whatsoever, he added.

He said their devotees' welfare association was formed 20 years back to assist and help the devotees of the temple to participate in the Karthigai Deepam traditional prayer and safely arrange their journey and Annadhanam to the devotees of the temple. There was no donation being collected by the Anaiyadeepakkulu but the expenses were shared by the members and the members voluntarily serving the devotees without any commercial interest. The Anaiyadeepakkulu had been performing and conducting the lighting of Karthigai Deepam during the month of Karthigai after obtaining proper and due permission from the forest department. Therefore, for the smooth conduct of Poojas and lighting of Karthigai Deepam, he gave representation dated August 20, 2019 to the authorities to permit the devotees of the Arulmigu Velliangiri Malai Andavar temple to perform religious ceremonies such as poojas and lighting of Karthigai Deepam during the month of Karthigai. But, there was no response. Hence, he filed the present petition, he added.