Asea of humanity, like an unstoppable deluge, has successfully, at least for the time being, prevented attempts to Islamise the Thiruparankundram Hill despite harsh measures, brutal police force and the rallying of all anti-Hindu political parties.
The recalcitrant and incorrigible Dravida Munneta Kadhgam (DMK) Government tried every trick in its bag to stop Hindu Munnani, and some community-based organisations from gathering at Thiruparankundram Hill on February 4. This hill is one of the six abodes of Bhagwan Murugan.
Attempts by Muslim Outfits
The issue was triggered when SDPI and other fundamentalist outfits announced their plan to slaughter goats and chickens atop the hill, cook biryani at the alleged dargah of Sikandar, and perform namaz. Indian Union Muslim League MP and Tamil Nadu Waqf Board Chairman Nawaz Gani visited Thiruparankundram on January 22, in the name of field investigation. During this visit, two of his associates, who came along with him, had non-vegetarian food at Malai. The picture of them having non-vegetarian food went viral in social media which created massive outrage among the Hindus all over Tamil Nadu.
Once again, posters have sprung up in areas of Madurai, announcing that on February 18, goats and chickens will be slaughtered at the Madurai Thiruparankundram hilltop called Sikandar Hill or Hazrat Sikandar Badusha Dargah in Muslim circles. The posters state, “To protect the right to worship at the dargah, the slaughter of animals is being planned.”
DMK and its allies, including VCK, Left parties, MDMK, actor Vijay’s TVK, Seeman’s NTK, and AIADMK, supported the Muslim groups, arguing that they should be allowed to slaughter, cook and perform namaz at the dargah.
Reaction by Hindu Organisations
The rally on February 4, organised by more than 50 Hindu organisations, including Hindu Munnani, saw slogans such as “Vetri Vel, Veera Vel, Kappom Kappom Skanda Malayai Kappom,” which translates to “Victorious spear, courageous spear, we will save Skanda’s mountain.”
This seems to be an attempt to seize the hill from Hindus, similar to what Mughal invaders had done in the past. The hill houses a dozen Hindu temples, besides the famous and revered Bhagwan Murugan temple. As a countermeasure, Hindu Munnani announced a massive protest on February 4 and sought police permission. Despite High Court directions, police authorities kept the files pending until the last minute and then imposed Section 144 in the city for two days. Authorities warned that anyone attempting to enter Madurai would face stern action. Private vehicle owners were threatened with confiscation of their vehicles and cancellation of permits if they were found transporting people to Madurai for the protest. Hindu Munnani, and other outfit functionaries were placed under house arrest or detained.
However, the indefatigable Hindu Munnani dismissed such harsh measures from the “Dravidian Model” DMK Government, asserting that they would not back down and would go ahead with their plan no matter what. To counter police crackdowns, the organisation advised its cadres to use State Government buses and trains to avoid being stopped mid-journey or near Madurai.
Hindu Munnani also called for action, urging all Hindus to recite the Skanda Shasti Kavacham (hymns with verses meant to protect against all types of evils, witches, demons, wild animals, and both direct and indirect enemies) on Thai Poosam day (an important festival in temples dedicated to Bhagwan Murugan) to save Thiruparankundram Hill. They announced plans to assemble in large numbers, as they did on February 4 at Thiruparankundram, despite police high-handedness. In all Murugan temples across the region, devotees will sing Skanda Shasti Kavacham, light lamps (diyas), and take a vow to protect Thiruparankundram Hill from invaders and minority-appeasement political parties with wicked intentions.
Pressure by DMK Government
As expected, DMK-controlled police arrested devotees carrying Kavadis, Vels and other ritual items for Bhagwan Murugan’s darshan. They were denied permission to proceed to Thiruparankundram and were stopped in their respective towns. In response, Hindu Munnani announced protests at all district headquarters and important towns, except
Madurai, under the banner of “Save Thiruparankundram Temple.”
The controversy escalated when a DMK-led procession, marking the death anniversary of former CM Annadurai, was allowed in Madurai despite the Section 144 restrictions. Hindu Munnani approached the High Court, questioning why the DMK procession was permitted while their religious gathering was denied. They asserted that visiting the temple and having darshan of Bhagwan Murugan was their Fundamental Right.
This is not the first time Hindus have claimed rights over the temple on the hill, a struggle dating back to 1923. Several legal cases are pending, and in some instances, courts have upheld Hindu claims, affirming that the temple belongs to Murugan devotees. Even Tamil Nadu’s official tourism literature states that the Sikandar Dargah is in Goripalayam, Madurai city.
Court Intervention
As anticipated, a division bench of the High Court granted permission for protest between 5 pm and 6 pm on February 4. It directed the police to release all those detained across the city to enable them to participate in the peaceful demonstration.
Armed with this order, lakhs of Hindus gathered in solidarity to reclaim their temple and prevent the Islamisation attempt.
The entire protest venue at Pazhanganatham turned into a sea of devotees chanting Vetri Vel Veera Vel and Kandanukku Arohara, reverberating throughout the area.
Hindu Munnani functionary Rajesh stated, “The DMK Government did not take action against IUML MP Nawaz Kani, who ate biryani atop the hill. Neither action was taken against a DMK MLA who claimed it was Waqf property. The police allowed them to desecrate the sanctity of the hill while denying permission to Hindus and imposing Section 144. How long can such harsh measures be enforced? Soon, Thai Poosam, an important festival for Murugan devotees will be celebrated. Will they stop devotees then too? It is high time the Government acted decisively and asserted Hindu rights over the temple.”
Expressing strong disapproval, Tamil Nadu BJP Chief K. Annamalai said, “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.”
Senior BJP leader H Raja took to social media platform X to hail the High Court order allowing the protest. He noted that the court had not only not permitted the Hindu Munnani’s massive Dharmic demonstration but also ordered the release of all those arrested or placed under preventive detention. Even Madurai Adheenam was not allowed to leave his mutt to participate in the protest.
Posters have sprung up in areas of Madurai, announcing that on February 18, goats and chickens will be slaughtered at the Madurai Thiruparankundram hilltop called Sikandar Hill or Hazrat Sikandar Badusha Dargah in Muslim circles
The protest has once again demonstrated the unity of Hindus, who, two years ago, successfully thwarted an attempt by certain Christian outfits to claim rights over another Murugan abode, Chennimalai.
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.
Glimpse of History
The Thiruparankundram Mandir is a site built in the 8th century during the reign of the Pandya dynasty. The Mandir is a marvel of rock-cut architecture. Unique features include the presence of both Shiva and Vishnu facing each other, an uncommon representation in Hindu Mandirs. The Mandir is also known for its association with the celestial wedding of Subramanya Swami and Devasena, daughter of Indra, making it a highly sought-after site for Hindu marriages.
Apart from its religious importance, the site holds great archaeological value. The hill contains evidence of early Jain settlements, with inscriptions dating back over 2,300 years. The Umai Andar Cave, situated on the southern face of the rock, contains rock carvings linked to both Hinduism and Jainism.
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 Islamic fundamentalists elements, further intensifying the ongoing tensions surrounding Thiruparankundram.
Amid the ongoing protest, reports surfaced that some unidentified individuals had vandalised the ancient Jain carvings by painting them green. This act of defacement has raised serious concerns about the protection of archaeological heritage, leading to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) taking up the matter.
Historically, the region of Thiruparankundram was under the rule of the Pandya dynasty until it was invaded by the Delhi Sultanate in the 14th century. The Sultanate ruled the region for nearly 50 years before being overthrown by the Vijayanagara Empire, which restored Hindu governance.
