logo
Dispute over right to hoist flag leads to suspension of ceremony at Kannagi Temple

Dispute over right to hoist flag leads to suspension of ceremony at Kannagi Temple

The Hindu29-04-2025

Timely intervention by Forest department officials and the presence of police and revenue authorities ensured that there was no law and order issue at the holy flag hoisting ceremony at Mangaladevi Kannagi Temple at Paliyankudi in the border of Idukki district in Kerala and Theni district, on Tuesday.
Every year, to celebrate Chithra Pournami in the Tamil month of Chithirai at the temple, thousands of devotees from far and near trek to the shrine inside the forest. As the temple does not come under Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department, a private trust and a few other organisations conduct the events and serve annadhanam during the festival.
To mark the beginning of the festival, they had assembled at at Vinetripaari on the foothills of the Kannagi temple. But trouble started as another group claimed right to hoist the flag. As the foothills were under the Forest department jurisdiction, they alerted the police and revenue authorities.
Uthamapalayam Deputy Superintendent of Police Venkatesan and Tahsildar Kannan, along with Forest officials led by Muralidharan from Gudalur range held talks with the two groups.
As there seemed to be no consensus, they announced the suspension of the flag-hoisting ceremony and ordered closure of the gates leading to the forest path. In normal times, devotees trek through the forest to the shrine and drinking water and food are provided to them by the organisers.
Later, the trustees hoisted the holy flag at their trust office in Cumbum and announced that the devotees can tie the 'kaapu' to begin the fast.
A senior revenue official said that the district administration would conduct a peace talk soon and ensure that the festival went on smoothly. Last year, when there were similar issues, the district administration took over the conduct of the festival and ensured that there was no law and order problem, the official added.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

DMK ally in talks to join NDA: Nagenthran
DMK ally in talks to join NDA: Nagenthran

Time of India

time4 hours ago

  • Time of India

DMK ally in talks to join NDA: Nagenthran

Tirunelveli: BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran said on Wednesday that a key alliance partner of DMK is in talks to join the BJP-led NDA . "Discussions are underway, but we cannot reveal the details now," he said at a news conference in Tirunelveli. His response came when asked about Union minister L Murugan 's recent statement hinting at a possible switch by a DMK ally. Nagenthran also said he would personally review the Keeladi excavation report and submit his recommendations on its credibility to the central govt. "I will study the report in detail and send my feedback," he said, on ongoing criticism by opposition parties that the BJP undermines Tamil heritage. Reiterating BJP's support for Tamil culture, Nagenthran pointed to several initiatives by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including translating Thirukkural into 63 languages and organising Tamil Sangam events in Kashi and Gujarat. "The BJP has always upheld Tamil identity and culture," he said. He said if the AIADMK-BJP alliance comes to power in Tamil Nadu , it will be led by Edappadi K Palaniswami. "It will be an alliance partners' rule, and EPS will be the leader," he said. "Everyone born in India is a Hindu in terms of cultural identity," he said in response to a question. Nagenthran said the BJP-led central govt allocated ₹10 lakh crore to Tamil Nadu over the past 11 years without any financial backlog. "This is the highest level of central support the state received," he added.

Tamil Nadu's heritage should be celebrated with scientific evidence, not through divisive sentiments: Union Minister for Culture
Tamil Nadu's heritage should be celebrated with scientific evidence, not through divisive sentiments: Union Minister for Culture

The Hindu

time5 hours ago

  • The Hindu

Tamil Nadu's heritage should be celebrated with scientific evidence, not through divisive sentiments: Union Minister for Culture

Tamil Nadu is an integral part of India and its heritage should be celebrated not through divisive sentiments, but through scientific evidence-based knowledge, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said on Wednesday. He also reiterated that further scientific studies were needed to validate reports submitted to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) by archaeologist Amarnath Ramakrishna, who headed two phases of excavations at Keeladi in Sivaganga district. In a post on X written in Tamil addressing Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, Mr. Shekhawat said, 'We have no hesitation in releasing any report. In fact, if such research is scientifically proven, we too would be proud to stand with you. But for it to be accepted by the scientific community, we still need more robust evidence.' 'That is why, instead of rushing to politicise the findings of the excavation, we have requested the Tamil Nadu government to cooperate with the Centre in continuing further research until more scientific evidence is obtained. I don't understand why the Tamil Nadu government is hesitant to cooperate,' he alleged.

Writers demand CM's direct intervention in Keeladi row
Writers demand CM's direct intervention in Keeladi row

Time of India

time7 hours ago

  • Time of India

Writers demand CM's direct intervention in Keeladi row

Madurai: The Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers Association, along with the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and the Students' Federation of India (SFI), held a demonstration in Madurai on Wednesday evening demanding chief minister M K Stalin's direct intervention against the central govt's move to review the Keeladi excavation findings. The protest was held in response to the Union govt's recent remarks questioning the credibility of the original excavation report submitted by archaeologist Amarnath Ramakrishnan. Addressing the gathering, Madukkur Ramalingam, president of the association, said, "Although minister Thangam Thennarasu has responded to Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, we urge the chief minister himself to step in, lead a state-wide movement, and demand recognition for the report submitted by Amarnath Ramakrishnan." Udaya Shankar, a recipient of the 2023 Bal Sahitya Puraskar, said, "As members of the Tamil literary community, we have a responsibility to stand by archaeological findings that support the antiquity of Sangam literature. The Keeladi excavations have scientifically validated our cultural past." Echoing similar sentiments, K Arunan, chief of the Tamilaga Makkal Ottrumai Medai, criticised the Union govt for allegedly sidelining Tamil heritage. "The BJP govt is spending crores to trace the mythical Saraswati river but refuses to even acknowledge Keeladi's findings, which are backed by strong scientific evidence," he said. The demonstrators called for widespread support to safeguard Tamil heritage and resist what they termed as politically motivated attempts to rewrite history.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store