Tiruchendur temple's move to ban fish meal stirs up controversy

Lord Muruga devotees were taken aback when the executive officer of the Arulmigu Subramania Swamy Temple at Tiruchendur issued a circular banning the cooking of non-vegetarian food in the temple vicinity during the Vaikasi Visakam festival.

Under this age-old practice, devotees flocking to this festival in Tiruchendur observe a day-long fast and complete their prayer by eating a fish meal the next day of the Vaikasi Visakam festival.

Vaikasi Visakam festival

The Vaikasi Visakam festival falls on May 22-23 this year. This day is considered auspicious since it is considered the day of Lord Muruga's incarnation. The second of Lord Muruga's six holy abodes is situated along the Tiruchendur seashore in the Tuticorin district.

Apart from Tuticorin, devotees from many Southern districts like Tirunelveli, Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram, Sivagangai, and Madurai districts undertake a padayatra to reach Tiruchendur to participate in this festival. It is customary for many devotees to have darshan after a dip in the sea. And, once they have offered their prayers, their fast is completed with a fish meal the next day.

However, the new rule issued by the temple authorities has created controversy. Many devotees are confused and upset with the new rule. However, officials have not declared what action will be taken against the devotees if they cook a fish meal and eat it.

Upset devotees over 'age-old practice'

Fifty-nine-year-old Kalimuthu, a regular visitor and an ardent Lord Muruga devotee, recalls several trips his family made to the temple, even when he was a child, and how they enjoyed the fish meal after fasting.

“Temple authorities have brought in a new norm this year. I haven’t heard of any such thing, I have been coming here since childhood. They have told us not to consume non-vegetarian food near the temple complex. We end our fast on the next day of Visakam with fish, which is available here in plenty. This is not a new practice. It is an age-old practice. We are not sure why they banned it this year,” Kalimuthu told The Federal.

He also recalled his parents used to bring a new clay pot from the village to cook the fish meal. “Many devotees are coming on foot from far-off places. They offer prayers and then complete the fast with the fish meal, which is a customary practice,” he said. 

Another devotee, Vimalan (32), has demanded that temple authorities reconsider the ban.

“I have been visiting Tiruchendur for almost 10 years now. Eating fish the day after Visakam is an age-old practice. This year, there is a ban. For all these years, the practice was not questioned. We are surprised by the new rule. Since the officers declared it, I’m unsure whether my family will cook fish this year,” said Vimalan.

Tricky situation, says expert

Since the officials have said the practice of eating non-vegetarian food is against agamas, The Federal reached out to an expert (in Vedic rituals), Sathiyavel Arumuganar. He felt the temple authorities should inform devotees of how they arrived at the decision to ban the cooking and consumption of non-vegetarian food.

“Agamas are a set of rules that talk about the dos and don’ts of constructing and administering a temple. Cooking/consumption of non-vegetarian food is prohibited inside the temple complex under agamas. But some devotees claim to follow the practice of consuming fish, which was followed by their ancestors. This is very tricky. The temple administration should act transparently when bringing a new rule,” he said.

According to Arumuganar, temple authorities should first consult devotees and listen to them before imposing new rules.

“People take a dip in the sea to wash their sins off. But it would seem contradictory if they saw people eating fish on the same seashore. This customary practice should be studied, and devotees should also be given prior notice,” observed Arumuganar.

Two different issues

S Saravanan, who heads the School of Philosophy and Religious Thought at the University of Madras, does not concur with this view. He feels that Agamas are not connected to the consumption of non-vegetarian food in the temple in Tiruchendur, and these are two very different issues.

“The practice of worshipping Lord Muruga has been recorded in several literary works, including Sangam poems. Agamas were drafted in a later period. So, logically, it is not apt to force Agamas on people who follow the practices of their ancestors. There are references given in Thirumurugatrupadai, penned by poet Nakeerar, on how tribes used to sacrifice lamb during prayer and offer meat and blood along with other items to Lord Muruga. Offering non-vegetarian food to God has been very much part of Tamil culture. So, banning it without providing a reason seems odd,” explained Saravanan.

Local circumstances

However, when contacted, HRCE minister Sekar Babu told The Federal he was unaware of the developments.  According to Babu, the temple administration may have banned the practice based on "local circumstances".

“I’m not aware of this decision and I’m traveling abroad. I will check with my officers. The decisions could be based on local circumstances,” he said.

The Federal made several efforts to reach the temple's executive officer, M Karthik, but there were no responses.