Thiruparankundram lamp lighting turns chaotic: CISF deployed to carry out court order

Amid the ongoing standoff over lighting the Karthigai Deepam at the hilltop Deepathoon (stone lamp pillar) of the Arulmigu Subramaniya Swamy Temple in Thiruparankundram in Madurai, one of Lord Muruga's six sacred abodes, protests intensified on Wednesday (December 3), the festival day itself.

Despite a Madras High Court (Madurai Bench) order directing the temple administration and authorities to facilitate the lighting, non-compliance led to heated confrontations between Hindu organisations and police, resulting in a policeman's injury and heightened security measures. There was more drama with Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) being deployed at the temple premises to carry out the court order -- a rare central force intervention in a local religious dispute.

Slogans and protest

Hindu Munnani and several other Hindu groups, joined by BJP functionaries, raised slogans and staged a protest against the Tamil Nadu government's failure to implement the High Court's directive. Frustrated by the inaction, activists stormed and dismantled police barricades set up near the temple's 16-pillar mandapam (hall), attempting to march towards the hilltop to enforce the court order. Videos circulating on social media captured the chaotic scenes, with protesters hurling barricades aside in a show of defiance.

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The pushing and shoving that ensued during the breach led to one policeman sustaining injuries. No arrests were immediately reported from this specific clash, but tensions remain high with thousands of police personnel deployed across the hillock and surrounding areas. CCTV surveillance has been ramped up on key routes, and Section 144 (now under Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita) prohibitory orders continue to restrict unlawful assemblies.

Court order to light lamp by 6 PM

In response to a contempt petition filed against the Madurai Collector and Police Commissioner for defying the order, Justice GR Swaminathan had earlier directed that the lamp be lit by 6 PM, failing which contempt proceedings would commence at 6:05 pm. When unmet, he authorised petitioner Rama Ravikumar, a local activist, and 10 others to light it themselves, with Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel providing protection. Hindu groups welcomed this as a victory for tradition but demanded immediate administrative action.

In a move to ensure compliance with the court's directive amid rising unrest, two buses carrying 60 CISF personnel were sent from the Madras High Court Madurai Bench to Thiruparankundram. This deployment, ordered directly by Justice Swaminathan, is specifically to escort the petitioner Ravikumar and his group to the hilltop Deepathoon for safe lighting of the lamp.

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The force's arrival underscores the judiciary's push for enforcement while prioritising security in the volatile area, where local police have already clashed with protesters. Additional state police from 10 districts (over 4,000 personnel) have fortified the site, transforming it into a high-security zone with watchtowers and drone surveillance.

‘Betrayal of faith’

The CISF involvement marks a rare central force intervention in a local religious dispute, aimed at preventing further violence. Authorities have cited the potential for communal escalation near the adjacent Sikandar Badusha Dargah as justification for layered protections, including rapid-response teams and medical units on standby.

Following explanations from police officials to Hindu Munnani leaders about the court ruling, the besieging crowd began to disperse gradually. However, with large numbers of Hindu organisations’ members continuing to arrive at the hill paths, the area remains on edge. As of late evening on December 3, the Deepathoon atop the peak remained unlit, with the temple administration proceeding only with the traditional lighting at the Uchi Pillaiyar Temple's Deepa Mandapam (midway up the hill) — a practice in place since 1920 due to historical concerns over proximity to the nearby Sikandar Badusha Dargah, which is about 15 meters away.

Over 4,000 police from 10 districts have transformed the temple vicinity into a fortress, with additional forces on standby to prevent further escalations. Devotees and activists expressed deep frustration, viewing the non-compliance as a "betrayal of faith" and a disregard for Tamil traditions of hilltop lamp-lighting during Karthigai.

This episode builds on the December 1 High Court ruling by Justice Swaminathan, which affirmed the Deepathoon's purpose for lighting lamps as a "deeply rooted Tamil tradition" and temple property, dismissing objections from the dargah side. The temple's Executive Officer filed an intra-court appeal on December 2 (yet to be heard), citing risks to communal harmony based on 19th-century precedents. The Tamil Nadu Waqf Board and HR&CE Department have been drawn into the fray, with the court emphasising that "a sacred act like lighting a lamp cannot offend sensibilities".

BJP slams DMK govt

BJP Tamil Nadu’s former president K Annamalai and spokesperson Narayan Thirupathi have slammed the DMK government and HR&CE for the appeal and police actions, accusing them of "anti-Hindu bias" to appease minorities and using temple funds to sow confusion. Annamalai called it "strongly condemnable", while Thirupathi labelled police handling as "anarchy at its peak."

DMK allies like CPM have urged non-implementation, arguing it could provoke tensions and that BJP is exploiting religious sentiments for political gain, similar to northern strategies.

The Tamil Nadu government has filed an urgent appeal in the Madras High Court's Chennai principal seat against Justice GR Swaminathan's Madurai Bench order, which directed petitioner Rama Ravikumar to proceed with CISF personnel to light the traditional lamp at the hilltop Deepathoon on December 3, amid non-compliance by temple authorities.

Chief Justice of Madras High Court T Raja, upon reviewing the plea, has granted permission for the appeal to be heard by Justice SM Subramaniam's Division Bench, potentially staying enforcement and averting further clashes as Hindu groups continue protests against the perceived defiance of the "deeply rooted Tamil tradition", while the state cites communal harmony risks near the adjacent dargah.

Meanwhile, Additional Advocate General J Ravindran, representing the Tamil Nadu government, urgently mentioned the intra-court appeal against Justice Swaminathan's Madurai Bench order before Chief Justice Raja at the Madras High Court's principal seat in Chennai on December 3.

The Chief Justice, acknowledging the time-sensitive nature amid ongoing protests and potential clashes, advised Ravindran to approach Justice SM Jayachandran at the Madurai Bench for an expedited hearing; shortly thereafter, Justice Jayachandran agreed to take up the case tomorrow, December 4, offering a possible stay on enforcement and a chance to de-escalate tensions.