Latest news with #HinduReligiousandCharitableEndowmentsDepartment
The Hindu
8 hours ago
- General
- The Hindu
Plea to conduct 10-day Brahmotsavam festival at Ramanathaswamy Temple
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday directed the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department to file a counter affidavit to a public interest litigation petition that sought a direction to authorities to conduct the Brahmotsavam festival at Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram for 10 days instead of three days. A Division Bench of Justices S.M. Subramaniam and A.D. Maria Clete was hearing the petition filed by an advocate Elephant Rajendran of Chennai. The petitioner said that Brahmotsavam festival is conducted in all temples in the State. However, it was not conducted for 10 years in Ramanathaswamy temple in Rameswaram. The Brahmotsavam festival is conducted for 10 days. However, this year it is going to be held for only three days. The modification of the ancient temple practice is hurting the religious sentiments of the devotees, he said. The Brahmotsavam festival should be conducted for 10 days instead of three days. The petition was filed seeking relief in ensuring the age-old traditions of the temple were not tampered with, he said. He said that to curtail the 10-day festival to three days was arbitrary. The authorities cannot interfere with religious affairs. He sought a direction to authorities to extend the festival by seven more days and conduct a 10-day festival at the temple. During the course of the hearing, the temple authorities submitted that the Brahmotsavam festival had already commenced on June 3 and the authorities will take a decision with regard to conducting the festival for the coming years. The court posted the matter for hearing after two weeks.
The Hindu
19-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Forum protests demanding action against Madurai Adheenam
Protesters gathered near Jhansi Rani Park here on Monday to protest against Madurai Adheenam for purportedly spewing comments spreading religious hatred were arrested by police and later released. The protesters under the banner 'Madurai Madha Nallinakka Makkal Kootamaipu,' (Madurai Religious Harmony People's Federation) raised slogans against Adheenam for acting against his post. Advocate K. Vanchinathan, one of the protesters, said that following the car accident, Madurai Adheenam by concealing the fact tried to pose a different narrative with a motive antithetical to his position as a mutt head who has been appointed to propagate Saivam and Tamil language. While the previous Adheenam's work as a mutt head was exemplary in bringing about an equal society by clearing off the differences among the public, the present Adheenam's activity was reflecting that of the Hindutva ideologies, he stated. Despite several complaints and petitions to act against the Adheenam, the police and the State government had not initiated any fruitful action against him, he added. A person who had tried to create a distortion in society by bringing in a religious angle in a plain accident case should have immediately been booked under the National Security Act, Mr. Vanchinathan said. Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department should immediately remove him from the prestigious position which had been held by progressive and broad-minded persons, he noted.
The Hindu
12-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Vadakalai, Thenkalai sects face off again during Brahmotsavam of Sri Varadharaja Perumal temple
Tempers flared between the Vadakalai and Thenkalai sects of Vaishnavites at the annual Brahmotsavam of the Sri Varadharaja Perumal temple, one of the 108 Divya Desams, in Kancheepuram on Monday. A source in the Vadakalai sect said devotees belonging to the Thenkalai sect chanted verses from Divya Prabandam even as representatives of the Thathachariars, who belong to the Vadakalai sect, performed Mantra Pushpam to the utsava idol of Sri Varadharaja Perumal at Gangai Kondaan Mandapam. During the Brahmotsavam, the idol is brought in a procession to the Gangai Kondaan Mandapam twice daily during which the Thathachariars perform Mantra Pushpam, a ritual of offering tulsi and flowers to the deity, along with chants in Sanskrit. 'It is the right of the Thathachariars to offer Mantra Pushpam while chanting verses from various texts, including the Vedas, the Puranas, and the Stotrapadam, during all pujas conducted daily. The Thenkalaiyars are trying to prevent them from doing so. They began this on day one of the Brahmotsavam. I wonder how eight more days of the festival will be conducted,' said a representative of the Vadakalai sect. A representative of the Thenkalai sect said the Thathachariars have the right to offer Mantra Pushpam only at the Moolasthanam (the sanctum sanctorum) and, that too, on court orders. 'When they chant, they can chant only verses from the Vedas and not from other texts. Also, there is no official order permitting them to chant at the Mandapam. If they are allowed, so can we. If they stop chanting at the Mandapam, the festival will be conducted in a smooth manner,' he said. Official sources in the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, under whose control the temple is, said they held separate meetings with both groups and secured a promise that they would ensure that the festival went on without any disturbance. 'We will ensure that the Brahmotsavam is conducted without any issue,' said an official.
The Hindu
08-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Celestial wedding performed in a grand manner at Abirami Amman Temple
Thousands of devotees on Thursday witnessed the Thirukalyanam, the celestial wedding of Goddess Abirami Amman with Lord Padmagreeswarar at Sri Abirami Amman Temple in Dindigul, on the 10th day of the annual Chithirai festival. The celestial wedding took place at 10.20 a.m. and a 'maha deeparadhanai' was performed. The women devotees who gathered at the venue replaced their 'thali' with a new one. It is believed that the marital bond will become stronger. The deities were taken out on a procession. Annadhanam was provided to the devotees. The Chithirai festival began on April 29 with the hoisting of the holy flag on the temple premises. Dindigul Collector S. Saravanan, Mayor J. Ilamathi, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department officials and temple authorities were present. The authorities had made elaborate arrangements for the smooth conduct of the festival. Basic facilities like drinking water and toilet facilities were provided for the devotees. A large number of police personnel were deployed at the venue to ensure safety and security of the devotees. The car festival will be held on May 9 and 'theerthavari' the following day on May 10. On all festival days, the deities will be taken in a procession, according to a press release.
The Hindu
06-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
‘Pattabhishekam' for Goddess Meenakshi performed
Hundreds of devotees on Tuesday witnessed the 'Pattabhishekam' or coronation ceremony of Goddess Meenakshi performed at the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple in Madurai on the eighth day of the annual Chithirai festival. The ceremony marks the transfer of power to rule Madurai from Lord Sundareswarar to Goddess Meenakshi. Her rule will last from the Tamil month of Chithirai to Avani. The ceremony began with customary rituals, followed by 'abhishekam' and 'deeparadhana' to the diamond-studded 'Rayar' crown. The chairperson of the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple Board of Trustees Rukmini Palanivel Rajan received the 'parivattam' from the temple Bhattars. The respect was originally accorded to King Thirumalai Nayak. After receiving the golden sceptre from the temple priest, she took it around the 'praharam' of the Swami Sannithi and then placed it next to Goddess Meenakshi. It is believed that the crown that adorned the Goddess was donated by Appaji Rayar, a Minister in the court of King Krishnadevaraya, and passed on to the presiding deity of the temple during King Thirumalai Nayak rule. The deities mounted on a silver palanquin were taken out on a procession. Devotees gathered in large numbers to catch a glimpse of the deities. Minister for Information Technology and Digital Services Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, Collector M.S. Sangeetha, Mayor Indrani Ponvasanth and Corporation Commissioner Chitra Vijayan, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department officials and others were present at the event.
