Dispute Over Pillar Possession: Tamil Nadu Claims Jain Heritage in Thirupparankundram

What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. When restrictions on animal sacrifice in Thirupparankundram should proceed till a reliable civil courtroom settles the matter, the identical ought to apply to the petitioners searching for to gentle the deepam on the deepathoon (stone pillar), counsels for appellants argued earlier than the Madurai Bench of the Madras Excessive Court docket on Monday (December 15, 2025). It was additionally submitted that the pillar was established by Jains.

A Division Bench of Justices G. Jayachandran and Okay.Okay. Ramakrishnan continued to listen to the arguments most popular towards the order of Justice G.R. Swaminathan, who directed the Subramaniya Swamy temple administration to gentle the Karthigai Deepam on the deepathoon apart from the standard locations, and different linked appeals.

Senior Advocate T. Mohan, representing the Sikandar Badusha Dargah, submitted that once they have been directed to go to the civil courtroom to ascertain a customized (animal sacrifice), the petitioners should do the identical to ascertain the customized of lighting deepam on the deepathoon. Nevertheless, the Single Bench had allowed the petition and permitted the petitioners to gentle the lamp on the deepathoon, regardless that it had not been established that the stone pillar was used for the aim.

The Senior Advocate stated they weren’t capable of benefit from the portion of the land as per the judgment within the 1920 authentic go well with.

They might not arrange bathroom amenities, and no electrical energy connection and consuming water amenities may very well be supplied, the Senior Counsel submitted, including that they weren’t given a correct alternative to current their case earlier than the Single Bench.

Senior Advocate N. Jothi, representing the Joint Commissioner of the Hindu Non secular and Charitable Endowments Division, submitted that there have been books written by consultants that debate stone pillars. The stone pillar on Thirupparankundram hill was established by the Jains and didn’t belong to the Hindus. There have been related pillars in Madurai district, together with the one in Samanar Hills close to Keelakuyilkudi, and one other at Shravanabelagola in Karnataka, he stated.

Digambaras (one of many ascetic sects of Jainism), who got here from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh to Madurai, used to reside within the Thirupparankundram hills. They used the stone pillar for lighting lamps, as they might congregate at evening. This was not the place the place Karthigai Deepam was lit. The Karthigai Deepam was lit on the Uchipillaiyar temple mandapam and there was reference to this. Any try to convert the character of the stone pillar shouldn’t be permitted, it was submitted.

The counsels additional stated Thirupparankundram was a confluence of individuals and so they have been dwelling peacefully. It was reiterated that the Karthigai Deepam was lit solely on the Uchipillaiyar temple mandapam, as per the skilled opinion of the temple clergymen. The courtroom will proceed to listen to the appeals on Tuesday (December 16, 2025).