Thirupparankundram Karthigai Deepam utsav
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Friday (December 5) issued a detailed response to the developments surrounding the Thirupparankundram Karthigai Deepam issue, stating that the episode raises “fundamental questions” about the ability of Hindu devotees to practise their traditions without administrative obstacles. His remarks came a day after tensions escalated at Thirupparankundram despite the Madras High Court allowing the lighting of Deepathoon atop the hill.
Pawan Kalyan noted that Thirupparankundram, revered as the first of the Six Abodes of Bhagwan Murugan, has an ancient tradition of lighting lamps during the Tamil month of Karthigai. He said it was “sad and ironic” that Hindus “have to seek judicial interventions to practise their faith and perform their rituals”.
Citing the recent court orders, he observed, “The Chennai High Court affirmed the right to light the Deepathoon—first by a single judge, then upheld by a higher bench. Legally, the battle was won. Yet, practically, devotees were forced to adjust.”
Questioning why the ritual could not be performed on the designated sacred day, Kalyan remarked, “Can any religious festival be moved a week late? Can a holy day’s celebration be shifted to a different time? No. Because the sanctity of religious time is non-negotiable.”
He added that the “moment—the sacred Karthigai Deepam—was lost”, arguing that this reflected a pattern in which “Hindus can be taken for granted”.
The Deputy Chief Minister said that repeated administrative barriers, including actions by government departments, police, and other institutions, required a “larger structural solution”, emphasising the need for a Sanatana Dharma Raksha Board to ensure devotees manage their own temple affairs.
“This repeated, systemic denial is why a time has come to demand more than just court victories,” he said.
He also raised questions on constitutional rights, asking whether Article 25 had become “optional instead of fundamental” for Hindus and whether local officials could “unilaterally nullify” a specific High Court directive. Referring to the HR&CE Department, he asked how it “consistently acts against the interests of Hindu devotees and their temple traditions” and how accountability is evaded.
AP Dy CM said that Hindus remained constrained by “caste, regional, and linguistic differences”. He said that unless there was unity “from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Kamakhya to Dwarka”, episodes of “mockery, insults, and abuses” against Hindu practices would continue.
Pawan Kalyan concluded by expressing hope that Hindus “wake up to the humiliation they face in their own land”, urging collective resolve to protect their religious traditions.
Pawan Kalyan, who had attended the Murugan Conference in Madurai on 30 June 2025, reiterated his long-standing support for the protection of Hindu traditions. At the conference, he stated that while he respects all faiths, “there should be no disrespect for Hindu Dharma”, underscoring that his appeal for safeguarding rituals and temple customs stems from devotion and constitutional conviction rather than religious fanaticism.
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