MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court recently directed the Joint Commissioner of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department, Dindigul, to initiate suo motu proceedings to decide on the customs or form of worship at the Muthalamman and Mariamman temple of Uthapuram village in Madurai, which was previously closed for over a decade due to communal disharmony.
A bench of justices G Jayachandran and R Poornima gave the direction while disposing of an appeal filed by the Madurai collector, challenging an order passed by a single judge of the court to reopen the temple for worship in July last year, on the ground that it may lead to communal riots and law and order problem.
The judges observed that the main dispute between the parties - Pallar and Pillaimar Community- is related to the form of worship of the 'Thala Virutcham', a peepul tree located within the temple premises. After an elaborate hearing, the two parties reached a mutual understanding regarding the worship of both the deity as well as the tree and filed separate affidavits that they will merely go around the tree without lighting lamps or touching the tree in any matter.
The affidavits give an impression that the villagers are willing to worship at the temple peacefully, provided there are no restrictions imposed by either side. The judges noted, adding that this clears the apprehensions raised by the authorities that allowing public worship in the above temple would cause law and order issues.
The judges therefore disposed of the appeal by directing the authorities to ensure that the public, irrespective of caste, community or place of residence, are able to access the temple and worship the deity without any restrictions. The authorities also should not prevent Pillaimar community members from administering the temple, they added. They further directed the Dindigul joint commissioner to initiate suo motu proceedings, after receiving the collector's request, and take a decision within a year, regarding the customs needed to be followed while worshipping at the temple, by issuing notice to all stakeholders.
The Uthapuram village had experienced a series of communal riots in the past and has even seen the erection and demolition of an 'untouchability wall'. Nearly 94 criminal cases have been registered so far, owing to the said communal riots in the village, the additional advocate general said. After a dispute arose between the two communities regarding the form of worship, the temple was shut for over 10 years, till the single judge's order.