Court for solution to palanquin dispute in Srirangam temple through talks

Bench directs warring groups of Bhattars, who had been claiming the right to be carried on palanquins, to appear in the court on December 3

The Madras High Court Bench here has decided to solve through talks a dispute over the age-old practice of carrying religious leaders in palanquins during certain occasions at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam.

A Division Bench of Justice V. Dhanapalan and Justice V.M. Velumani directed the warring groups of Bhattars, who had been claiming the right to be carried on palanquins, to appear in the court on December 3 for ascertaining the possibilities of mediation.

The order was passed on a writ appeal challenging a single judge’s order dismissing the writ petition filed by one of the rival groups in 2010.

The appeal was tagged along with another petition filed against the ban imposed by the temple management on such rituals.

According to the petitioner, Parasara Azhagiasinga Bhattar (67), the dispute among the members of the Vedavyasa Bhattar family on enjoying the honour led to initiation of proceedings for scrapping the customary practice on the ground that the act of a humans being carried by others should be avoided. The matter was discussed at a meeting of the Board of Trustees, who manage the affairs of the temple, and the Executive Officer of the temple issued a show cause notice on September 20, 2010, calling upon all stakeholders to explain as to why the practice should not be stopped.

“The show cause notice gave us 15 days time to offer our explanation. But even without waiting for that, the Board hastily convened a meeting on September 27, 2010 and passed a resolution to stop the practice of carrying the recipient of the honours in the palanquin,” the petitioner said and urged the court to quash the resolution.