MAYILADUTHURAI: The Mayiladuthurai District Administration has banned the Dharmapuram Aadheenam mutt seer from travelling on palanquins carried by people in a ritual called the ‘pattinaprevasam’.In an order dated April 27, 2022 but delivered to the seer on Monday, Mayiladuthurai Revenue Divisional Officer cum Sub Divisional Magistrate J Balaji banned the custom citing the protection of human rights and maintenance of law and order.
“The Dharmapuram Aadheenam mutt seer is banned from being carried by people in a palanquin under Article 23 of the Constitution. There is no objection to Aadheenam mutt seer touring places in the name of ‘pattinaprevasam’. However the Aadheenam mutt seer should not be carried by people, using a palanquin (‘Pallakku’),” the RDO told TNIE.
According to sources, the seer, 27th Guru Maha Sannidhanam Shrila Shri Masilamani Desiga Gnanasambandha Paramachariya Swamigal, had planned to embark on a ‘pattinaprevasam’ around his mutt near Mayiladuthurai this month. Dravidar Kazhagam and other outfits have opposed the practice, terming the custom as regressive and against human rights. This caused him to abandon the custom on February 12, 2020.
It is learnt district police submitted a report to the Mayiladuthurai RDO on the issue. Mayiladuthurai DSP expressed concerns over law and order problems if the ‘pattinaprevasam’ is conducted and recommended it be banned.
This February, Dravidar Kazhagam and other outfits opposed ‘pattinaprevasam’ of the Thiruvavaduthurai Aadheenam mutt 24th Guru Maha Sannidhanam Shrila Shri Ambalavana Desiga Paramachariya Swamigal. Hundreds of cadres protested near Thiruvavaduthurai on February 7. The seer was carried in a palanquin amid protests and heavy police deployment that night. The protesters and the seer were subsequently booked by Kuthalam police.
District cops mooted ban
Mayiladuthurai police submitted a report to RDO and DSP expressed concerns over maintaining law and order if the pattinaprevasam is conducted. Based on the recommendation, the RDO banned it