38.6c New Delhi, India, Saturday, August 02, 2025
Top Stories Supreme Court
Political NEWS Legislative Corner Celebstreet International Videos
Subscribe Contact Us
close
Judiciary

Not a picnic spot, Hindus too have rights: Madras HC prohibits entry of Non-Hindus to Palani Temple [Read Order]

By Rintu Mariam Biju      31 January, 2024 10:48 AM      0 Comments
Not a picnic spot Hindus too have rights Madras HC prohibits entry of Non Hindus to Palani Temple

The Palani temple in Tamil Nadu is not a picnic spot, Madras High Court said while ordering the state government and the State Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department to make sure non-Hindus are not allowed to enter beyond the flagpole area of the temple.

Justice S Srimathy said that Hindus too like other communities have the right to practice their religion without interference. Here are the other directions passed by the Court:

 i) The respondents are to have Boards indicating that Non-Hindus are not allowed inside temple after Kodimaram in the entrance of the temples, near Kodimaram and at prominent places in the temple.

ii)  The respondents are directed not to allow the Non-Hindus who do not believe in Hindu religion.

 iii) If any Non-Hindu claims to visit particular deity in the temple, then the respondents shall obtain undertaking from the said Non-Hindu that he is having faith in the deity and he would follow the customs and practices of Hindu religion and also abide by the Temple customs and on such undertaking the said Non-Hindu may be allowed to visit the temple.

 iv) Whenever a Non-Hindu is allowed based on the undertaking the same shall be entered in the register which will be maintained by the temple.

 v)  The respondents to maintain the temple premises by strictly following the agamas, customs and practices of the temple.


The Court was hearing a plea seeking to direct the respondents to permit the Hindus alone to the Hill Temple Premises and its sub temples. 

A Muslim family with many ladies in "Burquas," according to Senthilkumar's petition, had bought tickets at the train station to go to the Palani hilltop, which is the location of the temple, in June of last year. When the police attempted to stop them, they claimed that there was no board preventing non-Hindus from entering. 

Senthilkumar informed the court that the family wanted to visit the summit to take photos.

In the judgement, the court highlighted two incidents: the Arulmighu Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple in Madurai, where a group of people from a different religion entered with "their sacred book" near the sanctum sanctorum and attempted to perform their prayers before it, and the Arulmighu Brahadeeswarar Temple, where a group of people from a different religion treated the temple premises as a picnic spot and had nonvegetarian food inside the temple premises.

Noting this, the Court said that these incidents are absolutely interfering in the fundamental rights guaranteed to the Hindus under the Constitution. Explaining this, the Court said, 


These incidents are absolutely interfering in the fundamental rights guaranteed to the Hindus under the constitution. The Hindus also have fundamental right to profess and practice their religion freely and propagate their religion without interfering in their way of practice. Therefore the Hindus have right to maintain their temples as per their customs, practices and Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department is having duty to protect the temples from such unwanted incidents. In fact in the above narrated incidents the Department had failed to protect the fundamental rights guaranteed under the constitution.


During the hearing, the State government contended that installing such boards around the temple and the hilltop where it is situated, might hurt the religious sentiments of visitors. However, the court did not agree with this argument. The Court said that when a non-Hindu enters the temple premises, it would hurt the sentiments of a Hindu. 

The respondents are confusing the issue. If a non-Hindu is not having faith and decline to follow the customs and practices of the Hindu religion and decline to follow the Temple Customs, then the said non-Hindu cannot be allowed and hence there is no question of hurting his sentiments. On the other hand if the non-Hindu who declines to follow the customs and practices of the Hindu religion and decline to follow the Temple Customs is allowed inside the temple, it would affect the sentiments of the large number of Hindus who practices the faith as Hindu reverently. This would affect the right of Hindus guaranteed under the Constitution of India. The respondents are worried about the sentiments of nonHindu who is not having faith in Hindu religion. By pleading so the respondents are failing to protect the sentiments of the Hindus.

When it was argued that many foreigner tourists come to Hindu temples to admire and appreciate the architectural monuments of the temple, court said that temple premises cannot be used as picnic spot or tourist spot and the temples premises ought to be maintained with reverence and as per agamas.

But the customs and practice of their respective religion cannot be interference with and any interference ought to be curtailed. The Temple is not picnic spot or tourist spot. Even in Arulmighu Brahadeeswarar Temple, Thanjavur the other religion people are allowed to admire and appreciate the architectural monuments of the temple, but not after Kodimaram. While admiring the architectural monuments the people cannot use the premises as picnic spot or tourist spot and the temples premises ought to be maintained with reverence and as per agamas. Therefore the rights guaranteed under the Articles is not granting any right to the respondents to allow the other religion people if they do not have any faith and belief in the Hindu religion. 

The Court also rejected the respondents argument to limit these directions to the Palani Temple alone. 

But the issue raised is larger issue and the same ought to be applicable to all Hindu temples, hence the plea of the respondents is rejected. As stated supra restrictions would ensure communal harmony among different religions and ensure peace in the society, the Court added before concluding.

 

[Read Order]



Share this article:

About:

Rintu Mariam Biju graduated from the National University of Advanced Legal Studies, Kochi after comp...Read more

Follow:
FacebookTwitterLinkedinInstagram


Leave a feedback about this
Related Posts
View All

Social media users have to be careful of consequences before forwarding message: Supreme Court Social media users have to be careful of consequences before forwarding message: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court's dismissal of a plea by S Ve Shekher highlights the need for social media users to be cautious about the impact and consequences before forwarding messages. The case involved derogatory remarks against women journalists shared on Facebook in 2018.

Madras High Court Directs Tamil Nadu Government to Ensure Quota for Transgenders in Local Body Elections [Read Order] Madras High Court Directs Tamil Nadu Government to Ensure Quota for Transgenders in Local Body Elections [Read Order]

Madras High Court directs Tamil Nadu government to provide reservations for transgender individuals in local body elections, aiming for inclusion and democratic participation. The court emphasizes the need to eliminate social stigma and uphold the rights of transgender individuals.

RSS route march case: Supreme Court refuses to issue notice on TN govt plea RSS route march case: Supreme Court refuses to issue notice on TN govt plea

Discover the latest developments in the RSS route march case as the Supreme Court refuses to issue notice to the Tamil Nadu government. Get insights into the Madras High Court's summoning of officials and the legal challenges surrounding RSS's route marches in the state.

"No need to monitor" hundial opening of Hindu temples, Tamil Nadu HRCE Commissioner tells Madras High Court "No need to monitor" hundial opening of Hindu temples, Tamil Nadu HRCE Commissioner tells Madras High Court

Opposing the petitioner Shri Rangarajan Narasimhan's prayer for appointment of retired IPS/IAS officers, retired Judges and persons of high integrity in the District Committee for each district to monitor the opening of hundials (collection boxes) of Hindu temples, the Commissioner has told the Madras High Court that in light of the existing precautions taken during the hundial opening process, there is no need to appoint" such persons as prayed for by the petitioner. Read more on the Tamil Nadu's HRCE Commissioner's submissions here.

TRENDING NEWS

sc-to-first-consider-maintainability-of-review-against-2022-judgment-on-eds-powers-under-pmla
Trending Judiciary
SC to first consider maintainability of review against 2022 judgment on ED's powers under PMLA

SC to first decide if review pleas on ED powers under PMLA are maintainable; hearing on Karti Chidambaram’s plea set for August 6.

01 August, 2025 10:58 AM
sc-recalls-may-2-judgment-scrapping-jsw-steels-resolution-plan-for-bhushan-power-and-steel-ltd
Trending Business
SC recalls May 2 judgment scrapping JSW Steel's resolution plan for Bhushan Power and Steel Ltd

SC recalls its May 2 verdict cancelling JSW Steel’s ₹19,300 Cr resolution plan for Bhushan Power; matter to be heard afresh on August 7.

01 August, 2025 11:13 AM

TOP STORIES

sc-questions-justice-varma-over-failure-to-challenge-validity-of-in-house-inquiry-panel
Trending Judiciary
SC questions Justice Varma over failure to challenge validity of in-house inquiry panel

SC questions Justice Varma for not challenging in-house probe panel earlier despite cash haul case; asks why he joined inquiry if he found it flawed.

28 July, 2025 02:27 PM
timelines-for-governor-prez-to-clear-bills-kerala-asks-sc-to-return-presidential-reference-unanswered
Trending Executive
Timelines for Governor, Prez to clear Bills: Kerala asks SC to return presidential reference "unanswered"

Kerala urges SC to return Presidential reference on bill clearance timelines as “unmaintainable”, citing suppression of facts and settled SC rulings under Article 200.

28 July, 2025 02:38 PM
sc-refuses-to-stay-publication-of-draft-voters-list-in-bihar-on-aug-1
Trending Judiciary
SC refuses to stay publication of draft voters list in Bihar on Aug 1

SC declines stay on Bihar draft voter list; asks EC to consider Aadhaar, Voter ID for inclusion ahead of Assembly polls on August 1.

28 July, 2025 04:10 PM
why-so-many-students-dying-by-suicides-sc-asks-iit-kharagpur
Trending Judiciary
Why so many students dying by suicides, SC asks IIT Kharagpur

SC asks IIT Kharagpur why students are dying by suicide; raises concern amid rising campus deaths despite new mental health guidelines.

29 July, 2025 11:51 AM

ADVERTISEMENT


Join Group

Signup for Our Newsletter

Get Exclusive access to members only content by email