Chennai:
In a late-evening development today, the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court pulled up the Tamil Nadu government for wilful disobedience after the Karthigai Deepam (holy lamp) was not lit on the ancient Deepathoon pillar at Madurai’s Thirupparankundram – despite a clear direction issued on December 1.
Instead, the temple lit the lamp only at the usual traditional spot near the Uchipillaiyar temple, continuing a practice followed for more than a century.
The contempt petition was filed by Rama Ravikumar, who told the court that the temple administration had made “no arrangement whatsoever” for lighting the lamp on the Deepathoon. The festival lighting took place at 6 pm this evening.
“Contempt has been committed… the order has been breached,” Justice GR Swaminathan said. He added the contempt petition was “not premature” and observed in strong words that “contempt has been committed is beyond dispute…”
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