4 days ago
‘Vaishnavite' does not refer to brahmins alone, says Madras HC
Chennai: The term 'Vaishnavite' is not confined to just brahmins but carries a broader meaning, said
, turning down a plea to permit only Hindu Vaishnavite brahmins to participate in an auction for temple shops.
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Clarifying that all devotees who worship Lord Perumal fall under the category of Vaishnavites and that no discrimination should be made on basis of community, Justice N Anand Venkatesh rejected a petition by L Ravi, who insisted that only a Hindu Vaishnavite brahmin should be permitted to participate in the auction to run the 'prasadha kadai' (temple prasadam shop) inside Arulmigu Devarajaswamy Temple in Kancheepuram.
"The relief sought virtually amounts to perpetuating the caste system, which does not augur well for a true Vaishnavite. There will be no compromise on the ritual practices/agamas and also the experience of preparing prasadham in a Vaishnavite temple earlier for five years. If that is ensured, it does not matter whether the participant belongs to a brahmin community," said Justice Anand Venkatesh.
Therefore, the court does not find any ground to interfere with the relevant clause contained in the auction notice, and the temple authorities can proceed further with the auction and finalise the same in favour of the highest bidder, the court said.
According to the petitioner, there was a specific condition imposed in the earlier auction notice to the effect that only a Hindu Vaishnavite brahmin could participate in the tender for the prasadha kadai, whereas this vital condition has been removed in the present notice dated July 31.
In the present notice, it has been stated that the participant must comply with the ritual practices of the temple, comply with the agamas, and must have prepared prasadam in a Vaishnavite temple with five years of experience.
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What is missing are the words 'Hindu Vaishnavite brahmin,' the petitioner said.
"The only right that has been claimed by the petitioner is that this practice has been followed for a long time and, therefore, it has to be continued," said the court. Opposing the plea, the temple authorities contended that insofar as madapalli (temple kitchen) is attached to the same for the purpose of preparing prasadam for the deities, the rituals and agamas are strictly followed. However, the present case involves a prasadha kadai where there is no such requirement that only a Hindu Vaishnavite brahmin must participate in the auction.
