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Madurai: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has strongly upheld a previous court order directing the lighting of a lamp on the hill summit of the ancient Thiruparankundram temple, dismissing the Tamil Nadu government’s appeal and criticising its law and order apprehensions as “imaginary”.
A division bench comprising Justices G. Jayachandran and K.K. Ramakrishnan delivered the judgment today, affirming the November 1, 2025, order of Justice G.R. Swaminathan. The court mandated that a lamp be lit on the pillar at the summit of Thiruparankundram hill every Karthigai festival.
Thiruparankundram deepam row: Court rejects state’s appeal, Questions administration
The state government and Madurai district administration had appealed Justice Swaminathan’s order, arguing that lighting the lamp could disturb public peace, given the site's proximity to both the Murugan temple and a dargah (Islamic shrine) on the hill. The division bench, however, firmly rejected this reasoning.
In sharp observations, the bench stated that the apprehension of a law and order problem was “imaginary”. The judges also dismissed the administration’s suggestion that the lamp post belonged to the dargah, calling it unacceptable. They remarked that the district administration had “created an unnecessary problem” in what should have been a straightforward matter of fulfilling a religious and cultural practice.
Background of the Case
The legal issue arose from a petition filed by Madurai resident Rama. Ravikumar, seeking directions to light the traditional Karthigai deepam (lamp) on the hilltop pillar. Justice Swaminathan’s subsequent order on November 1 was not implemented last Karthigai, prompting the state’s appeal.
The division bench heard the appeal and connected interim applications over a week before reserving judgment.
