MADURAI
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday allowed Dalits to participate in the annual festival of Harihara Puthira Ayyanar Temple in Melur.
Justice T. Krishnavalli directed the petitioner to give a representation to the Madurai Collector who shall consider it on merit and pass appropriate orders expeditiously. The petitioner was allowed to worship the deity along with fellow villagers.
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The petitioner, M. Jeevanandam Poosari, had sought a direction to permit them to worship at Harihara Puthira Ayyanar Temple. He said since time immemorial Dalits were taking part in the annual festival at the temple, which was taken over by Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department in 1979. In 1984, a dispute arose between caste Hindus and Dalits over conducting the festival and managing temple administration, he said.
The petitioner claimed that caste Hindus were dominating the temple affairs and discriminating the Dalits by denying them equal participation in the festival. He alleged that Dalits did not participate in the festival out of fear.
In an earlier case seeking similar relief, the High Court had directed that there should be no discrimination or prohibition in allowing the Dalits to participate in the festival. Also no discrimination in providing prasadam or sacred water should be made and adequate protection should be provided, he said. Despite the court order, Dalits were not allowed to worship the deity, which amounted to discrimination, he said.
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In their counter petition in the same case, the caste Hindus said they had been administering the temple since 1978 and though Dalits could worship the deity, they could not interfere in the temple’s administrative affairs. The court had disposed of the petition stating that no one should be prevented from participating in the temple festival.