MADURAI: Several caste-based and Hindu religious outfits submitted a petition to Collector K J Praveen Kumar on Monday, urging him to implement the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court’s order permitting the lighting of Karthigai Deepam atop the Thiruparankundram hill. They appealed for necessary arrangements to be made so that the ritual can be carried out in accordance with the court’s directive.
Various associations, including Tamil Nadu Brahmana Samajam, Tamil Nadu VOC Eluchi Manila Nalasangam, Tamil Nadu Saiva Vellalar Sangam, Vijayanagara Naicker Varalaru Meetppu Association, and Tamil Nadu Laundry Workers Association petitioned Kumar during the weekly grievance day meeting.
Following this, they told reporters that the tradition of lighting the lamp on the ‘Deepathoon’ has been in practise since the period of Madurai Nayak rulers.
“From the 14th to the 18th century, for nearly 400 years, the Nayak kings ruled the region, and historical evidence, including the statue of King Thirumalai Nayak within the Thiruparankundram temple premises, stands testimony to this legacy. The practice of lighting the Karthigai Deepam on the hilltop has been followed since the Nayak era,” they said. To preserve this “centuries-old tradition”, they urged that the ritual of lighting the lamp atop the hill be allowed.