Thiruparankundram: A Flashpoint of Faith, Protest, and Politics in Tamil Nadu

Renewed protests have erupted at Thiruparankundram hill in Madurai, once again turning the site into a flashpoint over religious access. The flag hoisting ceremony for the Chandanakoodu festival at Sikandar Dargah proceeded under heavy police deployment, even as a group of around 20 individuals, claiming to be locals, demanded permission to light a deepam on the hill. These protesters were detained before being released.

BJP leader H Raja was also briefly detained at Thirunagar while en route to the hill. Raja stated that the issue was not communal but concerned the protection of Hindu rights.

These developments follow a tragic incident on 19th December, where P. Poornachandran, 40, died by self-immolation. Police reported that Chandran allegedly took the extreme step after being denied permission to light a Karthigai deepam at the Deepa Thoon atop Thiruparankundram hill, purportedly in violation of a Madras High Court order.

The Tamil Nadu BJP labelled Chandrans death a "sacrifice" and accused the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government of undermining Hindu religious beliefs. With state elections approaching, the intersection of religious sentiments, legal rulings, and political messaging at Thiruparankundram signals an escalating political fault line in Tamil Nadu.