The Madras High Court Bench here on Sunday directed the Deputy Commissioner of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department to permit the priest A.P. Sundaranaraya Battar to perform ‘puja' at Lord Kallazhagar Temple at Alagarkoil near here as well as the Prasanna Venkatachalapathy Temple at Tallakulam as ‘Usual' till April 21.
Justice A. Selvam passed the interim direction during a special sitting held at the High Court Bench at the request of the priest's counsel K. Jegannathan who claimed that the matter required the urgent attention of the court as Lord Kallazhagar was about to leave his abode at Alagarkoil in a Kudhirai Vaganam (horse carriage) on Sunday night to enter the Vaigai river on Monday morning.
According to the petitioner, he was enjoying the hereditary right of performing the ‘puja' during the Chithirai festivals.
The Deputy Commissioner too recognised the right by passing an order earlier permitting him to do Archaga Stanika Service which included Vahana Yetram (travelling in the carriage) and receiving the honours, rewards and emoluments.
Nevertheless, the petitioner was prevented from performing the puja at the last moment and hence the writ petition.
