Latest news with #Ayyanar
Time of India
2 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Can't deny entry into temple on basis of caste, says HC
Chennai: Asserting that caste-based discrimination cannot be permitted in a country governed by the rule of law, Madras high court has ordered legal action against anyone who prevents others' entry into a temple based on caste. Justice N Anand Venkatesh, passing orders on a plea that flagged prevention of people from Scheduled Castes into Ayyanar temple in Pudukudi village, Udayarpalayam taluk, Ariyalur, said: "Caste and community are the creations of human beings and god is always considered to be neutral. That apart, preventing persons from offering prayers on the basis that they belong to scheduled caste communities, is an affront to the dignity of persons who are discriminated against based on their caste. " "If a temple is permitted to be visited by the public, it assumes the character of a public temple. In such an event, irrespective of the caste or community of the devotees, they must be permitted to offer their prayers to god," said the judge. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai This can never be permitted in a country, which is governed by the rule of law. That apart, Section 3 of the Tamil Nadu Temple Entry Authorisation Act, 1947, makes it abundantly clear that notwithstanding any law, custom or usage to the contrary, every Hindu irrespective of the caste or sect to which he belongs to, shall be entitled to enter any Hindu temple and offer worship therein, Justice Anand Venkatesh said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo If they are restricted entry, it will amount to an actionable wrong and the person concerned can be sued or prosecuted there for. This act came into force after a long struggle by many leaders, who wanted to ensure that persons are not prevented from entering the temples based on their caste, he said. The judge added that the Act was brought into force as a policy taken by the Tamil Nadu govt to remove the disabilities imposed on certain classes of Hindus against entry into Hindu temples in the state. The issue pertains to a plea moved by Venkatesan. He submitted that recently idols installed by people belonging to the scheduled caste at Ayyanar temple located in Pudukudi village, Udayarpalayam taluk, Ariyalur were vandalised by a certain group of dominant caste members. He further alleged that members of the scheduled castes were only being allowed to view the deity from behind a large iron gate installed in the temple. Therefore, he wanted the court to direct the authorities to allow members belonging to scheduled castes to enter the temple and worship the deity and to permit them to participate in the temple car festival scheduled from July 16 to 31. Recording the submissions, Justice Anand Venkatesh said, "…there shall be a direction to the district SP and RDO to ensure that all classes of Hindus are permitted to enter the temple and participate in the festival." If anyone prevents them from participating, action shall be taken in accordance with law. It shall be ensured that no law and order problem is created, the court concluded.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Punish those preventing temple entry over caste: HC
Representative photo CHENNAI: Take legal action against those preventing a person from entering a temple because of his or her caste, Madras high court has directed authorities, stressing that caste-based discrimination cannot be permitted in a country governed by the rule of law. Petitioner Venkatesan moved the court after idols installed by people belonging to scheduled caste (SC) at Ayyanar temple in Pudukudi village in Ariyalur's Udayarpalayam taluk were vandalised by dominant caste members. He alleged that members of SC were being forced to have a darshan of the deity from behind a large iron gate. 'If a temple is permitted to be visited by the public, it assumes the character of a public temple. In such an event, irrespective of the caste or community of the devotees, they must be permitted to offer their prayers to god,' justice N Anand Venkatesh ruled. Recording the submissions, Justice Venkatesh said, 'There shall be a direction to district SP and RDO to ensure that all classes of Hindus are permitted to enter the temple and participate in the festival.'
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Temple entry cannot be denied based on caste in a country governed by rule of law: Madras High Court
Observing that caste-based discrimination cannot be permitted in a country governed by the rule of law, the Madras High Court on Thursday (July 17, 2025) directed the Ariyalur Superintendent of Police to ensure that Scheduled Caste (SC) persons are not prevented from entering the Puthukudi Ayyanar Temple in Udayarpalayam taluk. Justice N. Anand Venkatesh directed the Superintendent of Police and the Udayarpalayam Revenue Divisional Officer to ensure that all classes of people, irrespective of their caste, are permitted to enter the temple and worship the deity at all times, including the annual festival being held at present. Further, directing the two officials to initiate appropriate action in accordance with the law if anyone prevents a section of people from entering the temple, the judge ordered that the Police and the Revenue departments must also ensure that no disturbance is caused to law and order. Disposing of a writ petition filed by a local resident A. Venkatesan, complaining of caste-based discrimination, the judge said, the Tamil Nadu Temple Entry Authorization Act of 1947 was enacted after a long struggle by many leaders who wanted to ensure that no one was denied temple entry based on their caste. Section 3 of the Act makes it abundantly clear that notwithstanding any law, custom or usage to the contrary, every Hindu, irrespective of their caste or sect to which they belong, shall be entitled to enter any Hindu temple and offer prayers in the same manner and same extent to which another was entitled to do. 'If anyone is restricted from entering a temple based on caste of sect, it will clearly amount to an actionable wrong/offence and the person concerned (the one who restricts) could be sued or prosecuted therefor,' the judge wrote and said, the public officials were duty-bound to implement the law in letter and spirit. What the petitioner said In his affidavit, the petitioner stated the Ayyanar temple in Puthukudi village had been in existence for several decades and worshipped by villagers of all castes and sects for long. However, in 2019, a group of people tried to hijack the temple administration by deciding to construct a new temple on the premises. Though the Scheduled Caste residents too had made monetary contributions toward the construction, they were prevented from entering the temple, leading to multiple complaints made to the police as well as revenue officials. However, these complaints could not be pursued for quite some time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the meantime, the offending group demolished all statues and stone structures that had been put up by the Scheduled Caste residents on the temple premises. Even a big statue of Ayyanar that had been installed, with the name of the Scheduled Caste donor, was removed and dumped into the temple well, the petitioner alleged. He also said an iron gate was installed at the Puthukudi Ayyanar Temple and the Scheduled Caste devotees were made to worship the deity only from outside the gate. Despite such discrimination, the government officials had not made any effective intervention in the matter fearing law and order problems, he added. Further, stating that the offending group identifies itself as the 'Ezhu Vaigaiyara,' the petitioner sought a direction to permit the Scheduled Caste devotees too to enter the Puthukudi Ayyanar Temple, besides letting them participate in the temple car festival scheduled from July 16 to 31, 2025.
New Indian Express
09-07-2025
- New Indian Express
Dominant community members in TN set up fence to curb access to main road, say Arundhatiyar family
TIRUPPUR: Social activists have raised allegations that members of a dominant community have blocked an easement near the house of a family belonging to the Arundhathiyar community over a dispute, in a village near Dharapuram of Tiruppur district. They further said that the person who erected the fence has not removed it despite the tahsildar's order. Sources said that R Ayyanar, a wage labourer, of Mulaiyampoondi Colony in Karuppan Valasu village in Dharapuram, lives with his wife A Saroja, a farm labourer, and their two sons. Ayyanar's house is located at the end of the street, and a concrete road leads from their house to the main road, adjacent to one M Saraswathi's house. Although Ayyanar's family has used this road for over two decades, it was closed six months ago, and the former have alleged that Saraswathi closed the road at the behest of some persons from the dominant community. Ayyanar has been urging the authorities to take action to remove the fence. Saroja said, "I worked as a scavenger in Karuppan Valasu village panchayat last year, and was paid Rs 6,000 per month. At the time, Selvi, who hails from a dominant community, was the vice-chairman of the panchayat, and her family got me the job. Once during work, she instructed me to go to work in her farmland. As I refused, she scolded me severely using casteist slurs and inappropriate words, and I stopped going to work there. Now, to exact revenge, she has erected the fence through Saraswathi.'
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Time of India
Teen drowns in Vaigai river near Sholavandan
1 2 Madurai: A 17-year-old boy who came to witness the Chithirai festival near Sholavandan in Madurai on Monday drowned in the Vaigai said S Jayavasikaran, 17, currently residing at Kariapatti in Virudhunagar, came with his family to Sholavandan to witness the Sri Narasinga Perumal Temple Chithirai festival. On the course of the festival, he and his friend Ayyanar were playing in the river. There was a good flow in the river as water was being released from the Vaigai dam for the Lord Kallazhagar's entry into the boys suddenly entered deep water and were unable to stay afloat. Passersby heard their cries and rushed to save them. While Ayyanar was rescued, Jayavasikaran drowned. Fire and rescue service personnel recovered Jayavasikaran's body and sent it for a postmortem examination. Ayyanar was admitted to Government Rajaji Hospital. Police registered a case and are the Madurai city police issued a statement denying reports that the death of an unidentified man was due to being caught in the Chithirai festival crowd. Police said that the man's body was found below the Yanaikkal new bridge and was later identified to be K Marikannan, 42, of Sellur. They said Marikannan was separated from his family three years ago and was sleeping on streets. He died due to illness and his death was unrelated to the Chithirai festival crowd, police said.
