Tiruchirappalli: “The ongoing dispute at Thiruparankundram in Madurai does not presently require escalation to the national level, the Hindus in Tamil Nadu are sufficiently mobilised to secure a favourable resolution,” said RSS Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat. He was speaking at the event titled “RSS 100 Years of Sangh Journey – New Horizons” on December 10, 2025.
Replying to the question on the Thiruparankundram Deepam issue, he said, “The matter is now subjudice, let it resolve. But if at all escalation is needed, the Hindu organisations are working in Tamil Nadu also. They will let us know, then we will think about it. We will do whatever it takes for that.” Thiruparankundram Hill in Madurai, home to the ancient Subramanya Swamy (Murugan) Temple and one of the six abodes of Bhagwan Murugan, has been at the centre of an intensifying religious dispute. The tradition of ritual lighting of the Karthigai Deepam atop the Thiruparankundram hill’s Deepa thoon has been practised for generations as part of temple worship, which was under attack by some fanatics.
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, on December 1, 2025, permitted the lighting of the Deepam and directed police protection for the ritual; this was reaffirmed on December 4, 2025, with the Court rejecting the State’s objections and asserting that Deepa thoon lies within the temple’s limits and the tradition must continue. On December 9, 2025, the Court summoned the Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary and the ADGP (Law and Order) to appear on December 17 in a contempt hearing over alleged non-compliance with its directives.
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