Madurai, the temple city known for its revered Madurai Meenakshi Sundreswarar Temple, is witnessing escalating tensions following a series of controversial events surrounding the Thiruparankundram Hill temple. The dispute intensified when Sri La Sri Harihara Sri Gnanasambanda Desika Swamigal, the 77-year-old head of the ancient Saiva mutt, Madurai Adheenam, was reportedly prevented by state police from visiting the Kasi Viswanathar Temple, situated atop the hill, citing concerns over potential communal tensions.
On January 25, speaking to the media, the priest said, “I had planned to visit the Kasi Viswanathar Temple today for darshan, but the police stopped me. I believe they were concerned that people from other religions might cause trouble, but I was only going there to pray. How can they call it Sikandar Hill? It is Murugan Hill. All the literature refers to it as Murugan Hill. Christianity and Islam originated in foreign lands, and while we respect and accommodate their beliefs, they should also learn to respect ours. In our temple, we do not allow or consume non-vegetarian food. Except for the BJP, no other political party has spoken out on this issue because they fear losing minority votes. That is why they remain silent.”
#JUSTIN நான் வந்தால் கலவரம் ஏற்படும் என பயப்படுகிறார்கள்- மதுரை ஆதீனம் பேட்டி
#Madurai #Adheenam #News18Tamilnadu | https://t.co/3v5L32pLWJ pic.twitter.com/KcsLLlB95j
— News18 Tamil Nadu (@News18TamilNadu) January 25, 2025
In a related development, police arrested Vellore Ibrahim, the national secretary of the BJP’s minority wing, while he was en route to Thiruparankundram Hill.
வேலூர் இப்ராஹிம் கைது
நவாஸ் கனி உருவ படத்திற்கு செருப்படி!
திருப்பரங்குன்றத்தில் பரபரப்பு pic.twitter.com/ibIWRGeQKH— Ilaya Bharatham (@IBharatham) January 25, 2025
Police officials rejected Ibrahim’s plans to visit Thiruparankundram Hill, leading to a heated argument between him and the authorities. Ibrahim, who was staying at a hostel in Jaihindpuram, reportedly protested by hitting a photo of MP Nawaz Kani with his shoe, which resulted in his arrest.
Meanwhile, unconfirmed sources suggest that the central government may deploy central armed forces to the region, as the temple is now under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
மர்ம நபர்கள் அட்டூழியம்.. திருப்பரங்குன்றம் மலையில் இறங்கும் மத்திய படை.. விவகாரம் பெரிதானது.. மொத்தமும் முடிந்தது..
watch full video linkhttps://t.co/u9z2vcJgrW pic.twitter.com/2ih16QT6Mw— TNNEWS24Air (@tnnews24air) January 25, 2025
Critics warn that the Thiruparankundram issue could escalate into a major controversy, drawing comparisons to the Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi dispute or the Madurai Krishna Janmasthan conflict. The ruling DMK’s silence on the matter has led many to believe that the Muslim community has the party’s tacit support. Meanwhile, the AIDMK has refrained from commenting because its ally SDPI is involved in it. There is speculation that the AIDMK may be using this controversy as a diversionary tactic to shift focus from ongoing issues, such as the situation at Anna University and other challenges it is currently facing.
மாபெரும் அறப்போராட்டம்..!!
சூரபத்மன் எனும் அரக்கனை அழித்த வேலன்!
சிக்கந்தர் மலை என்று பொய் சொன்னால்
முருகன் தான் உங்களுக்கு காலன்!திருப்பரங்குன்றம் காக்க!! அணிதிரள்வோம்!!
தேதி: பிப்ரவரி 04
நேரம்: மாலை 3.00 மணி
இடம்: திருப்பரங்குன்றம்#அறுபடைவீடு_காக்க_அணிதிரள்வோம்… pic.twitter.com/8D1r24NQyM— Hindu Munnani (@hindumunnani_tn) January 24, 2025
This incident has sparked controversy amidst claims of biased policies by the ruling DMK government, especially regarding the treatment of various religious groups. Among the contentious issues is the reported allowance for DMK MPs to consume non-vegetarian food atop the hill and the permission for Muslims to carry buckets of biryani, while Hindu leaders, including the Madurai Adheenam, are allegedly denied the same rights.
Thiruparankundram, a site that scholars and Hindu leaders assert “belongs to Hindus, particularly Bhagwan Murugan,” has been at the center of a longstanding dispute. According to court rulings, the hill is deeply rooted in Hindu tradition. The issue gained prominence with the efforts of Rajagopalan, a prominent leader who first sought to address the matter. Tragically, Rajagopalan’s activism came to a violent end when he was murdered by fundamentalist elements, further intensifying the ongoing tensions surrounding Thiruparankundram.
உங்களுக்கு தெரியுமா??
திருப்பரங்குன்றம் மலை உச்சியில் கார்த்திகை தீபம் ஏற்ற வேண்டும் என்பதற்காக போராடி 1994-ல் முஸ்லிம் தீவிரவாதிகளால் வெட்டி படுகொலை செய்யப்பட்ட மதுரையைச் சேர்ந்த இவரைத் தெரியுமா?
பதில் பதிவிடுங்கள்…#savethiruparankundram #அறுபடைவீடு_காக்க_அணிதிரள்வோம்… pic.twitter.com/xvCHsW3XjP
— Hindu Munnani (@hindumunnani_tn) January 24, 2025
Undeterred by intimidation, the Hindu Munnani has been actively opposing claims made by some Muslim groups regarding Thiruparankundram Hill, which they refer to as “Sikkandar Malai” due to the presence of a dargah at the summit. Hindus argue that the hill, home to nearly nine Hindu temples, has a long-standing religious and cultural connection to Lord Murugan. Tensions escalated when Hindus were allegedly prevented from lighting a lamp during the Karthigai Deepam festival atop the hill.
Historically, the hill became a focal point during the Mughal era when Sikkandar was buried there by force. More recently, the controversy intensified over plans by Muslim groups to slaughter, process, and distribute biryani to the public on the hill. In response to widespread condemnation, police intervened, preventing the transportation of provisions, including goats, chicken, and other animals, to the hilltop.
The issue has been backed by several political and religious factions, including the SDPI (the political arm of the banned PFI), IUML, the DMK and its allies, the Seeman’s NTK, and others. The situation drew further attention when IUML MP Nawaz Kani and other individuals were allowed to eat biryani on the hill, a move that was celebrated on social media. Additionally, DMK’s Manapparai MLA, Abdul Samad, visited the dargah and both he and others have publicly claimed that the hill belongs to the Waqf Board, fueling the ongoing dispute.
https://twitter.com/LawAcademics/status/1882955486292787688
DMK MLA Abdul Samad has come under accusation for allegedly conducting an unauthorised survey around the temple and conspiring to seize control of Thiruparankundram Hill with the assistance of the SDPI. The controversy deepened when miscreants defaced the ancient Jain caves on the hill by painting them green, an act widely seen as sacrilege. This vandalism is considered a violation of the Monuments Protection Act, drawing outrage from various religious and cultural groups.
தும்பை விட்டு வாலை பிடிக்கும் அதிகாரிகள்
திருப்பரங்குன்றம் மலைமீது என்ன நடக்கிறது என்று தொல்லியல் துறையும் இந்து சமய அறநிலையத் துறையும் கவனிக்காமல் மெத்தன போக்கில் உள்ளனர். சமணர் குகையில் பச்சை பெயிண்ட் அடித்துள்ள மர்ம நபர்களை ஆரம்பத்தில் தடுக்காமல் தற்போது புகார் கொடுத்து என்ன… pic.twitter.com/kC9FTiS3m6
— Hindu Munnani (@hindumunnani_tn) January 22, 2025
Following demands from the BJP and other parties for the resignation of IUML MP Nawaz Kani over his actions in eating biryani atop Thiruparankundram Hill, Kani defended his visit, stating that he had gone there as the chairman of the Waqf Board and as an MLA to assess necessary infrastructure developments. He denied eating biryani, claiming he had only posed for a photo.
In response, Tamil Nadu BJP chief K. Annamalai expressed strong disapproval, saying, “It is extremely unfortunate that a sitting MP, who has sworn to uphold the secular values of India’s Constitution, chose to visit a place that has been sacred to the Hindu community for thousands of years and eat non-vegetarian food there, clearly attempting to provoke outrage. This reflects the state of Tamil Nadu’s politics today, where appeasement politics have taken hold. This MP should be dismissed for violating his oath.”
இரண்டு நாட்களுக்கு முன்பாக, திருப்பரங்குன்றம் சுப்பிரமணிய சுவாமி திருக்கோவில் மலைக்கு, தனது ஆதரவாளர்களுடன் சென்ற, ராமநாதபுரம் பாராளுமன்ற உறுப்பினர் திரு.நவாஸ் கனி, ஹிந்து மக்கள் புனிதமாகக் கருதும் திருப்பரங்குன்றம் மலையில் அமர்ந்து, அவருடன் வந்தவர்கள் அசைவ உணவு உண்ணும்… pic.twitter.com/8ddzApqrJb
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) January 24, 2025
Additionally, videos on social media surfaced showing Muslim men carrying buckets of biryani to the hill, further fueling the controversy and intensifying tensions surrounding the site.
#திருப்பரங்குன்றம் மலை மீது இன்று பிரியாணி எடுத்து செல்ல முயன்ற இஸ்லாமியர்கள்,
– செய்திதுலுக்க தேவுடியா பசங்களே மேல எடுத்துட்டு போய் தான் துண்ணனுமா ?
கீழே உட்கார்ந்து துண்ண முடியாதா ?
இவ்ளோ பிரச்சனை நடக்குது திரும்பவும் இப்படி பண்றது வேணும்னு தானே ?
pic.twitter.com/QllADmTB0k— SSR 🐘 (@SSR_Sivaraj) January 25, 2025
Hindus have approached the court seeking permission to offer pork to Bhagwan Murugan as part of traditional customs, which had been put on hold to maintain communal harmony. The issue gained further attention when H. Raja, head of the BJP Tamil Nadu’s interim coordination committee, along with BJP MLA Nainar Nagendran and Hindu Munnani state president Kadeswara Subramaniam, visited the temples on Thiruparankundram Hill in the absence of K. Annamalai.
Hindu Munnani has announced plans for a massive protest on February 4, expecting lakhs of people to gather, similar to the large turnout at Chennimalai two years ago.
