Plea to ban non-Hindus at Kumari temple rejected

MADURAI: The Madurai bench of Madras High Court on Monday dismissed a plea seeking to bar non-Hindus from entering or participating in the kumbabhishekam of Adikesava Perumal temple in Tiruvattar, in Kanniyakumari district.

A public interest litigation petition filed by C Soman of Brahmapuram, Kanniyakumari district, came up for hearing before a division bench of Justices PN Prakash and R Hemalatha.

The petitioner stated that non-Hindus should not be allowed to enter or offer worship in the Tiruvattar temple or bathe in or use the sacred tank, well, spring or watercourse appurtenant to the temple.

If non-Hindus were permitted to enter the Hindu temple premises and attend events like temple car festival, kumbabhishekam or other rituals by violating the acts and rules, it would certainly cause interference to poojas.

Further, the petitioner said the HR&CE Department was according importance to invite Minister of Information Technology, who hails from Kanniyakumari district, to the kumbabhishekam, during which as per tradition, male devotees would have to remove their shirts to worship the deity. Similarly, only authorised priests would be allowed to go to the tower during kumbabhishekam.

However, if the government authorities were permitted to conduct kumbabhishekam as a function of state government, the sanctity of the event would definitely diminish. Citing these, the petitioner sought the court not to permit non-Hindus into the temple premises during the kumbabhishekam at Tiruvattar on July 6.

The bench after hearing said there was no rule to disallow non-Hindus in temples and pointed out that the songs on Hindu gods of playback singer Yesudas, who belongs to another faith, were being played in temples.

Also, many Hindus are offering prayers at Vailankanni Shrine Basilica and Nagore Dharga. Citing these, the bench dismissed the plea.