Will shoulder palanquins myself if ban on Pattanapravesham not lifted: Seer

MADURAI/MAYILADUTHURAI: A day after the Mayiladurai administration banned Pattanapravesham in Dharmapuri Aadheenam Mutt, Madurai Aadheenam seer Shri La Shri Harihara Shri Ghanasammantha Desika Paramacharya Swamigal on Tuesday urged Chief Minister MK Stalin to lift the ban and ensure the centuries-old tradition is carried out. If not, he said, he himself would shoulder the palanquins of the Dharmapurai and conduct the event amid any hardship.  

Addressing media persons, he said that he grew under Dharmapuri Aadheenam and treated the Dharmapurai Aadheenam as his guru. “Dharmapuri and Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam conducted Pattanapravesham event for centuries. It existed even during British rule,” he noted. 

Stating that it is now banned for ‘political reasons’, the Madurai Aadheenam said that during former chief minister Karunanidhi’s regime, the practice existed. “The tradition should not be compromised at any cost as no such objection or law-and-order problem occurred because of this in the past. The Dharmapuri Aadheenam acted as a bridge between Tamil and Saivam and contributed to both for centuries,” he added. 

Meanwhile a group of locals protested near Dharmapuram Aadheenam mutt on Tuesday, urging the authorities to allow the seer proceed with his Pattinaprevasam ritual. Mayiladuthurai RDO had banned the custom citing concerns over law-and-order issues.