Yet another attack on temple rituals, and on priests and staff who questioned a man pouring milk over his head and vandalising temple articles. This act is perceived as sacrilege against agamic dharma and the sanctity of the moola sthan (garbha griha).
As per sources, a 35-year-old man allegedly assaulted a temple Dikshitar and a security guard at the Sivakami Amman Temple, part of the Chidambaram Nataraja Temple complex, on the evening of January 3 during the Margazhi Arudra Darisanam. It is learnt that Selvaganesh Dikshitar (51) of North Street, Chidambaram, was on duty at the temple near the North Gopuram when a man entered the sanctum sanctorum, toppled vessels containing milk and water meant for abhishekam, poured the contents over his head, and caused a disturbance. He created a ruckus inside the sanctum sanctorum.
Devotees and temple staff were panicked on witnessing his activities. When the Dikshitar and temple employee Kannan tried to intervene, the man allegedly attacked them with a wooden plank.
Security guard Valaiyapathi was also assaulted in the ensuing melee. Devotees present at the temple overpowered the man and handed him over to the police.
Following complaints from the Dikshitars, Inspector S. Sivanandham identified the assailant as T. Manikandan of Ariyalur. Police said Manikandan was intellectually disabled and released him to his brother with a warning.
One devotee posted a tweet on X, saying, “This is Chidambaram Nataraja Mandir. A man forcefully enters the Garbhagriha, steals milk meant for ‘Abhishek’, pours it over himself and screams, ‘There is no God!’. When @mkstalin can’t give safety to Hindu Mandir, why control 35,000+ Mandir?”
https://twitter.com/shashank_ssj/status/2008427073120202967?s=20
A case was registered. BJP Chidambaram coordinator G. Balasubramanian alleged that the police had failed to take immediate action and demanded that the case be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Condemning the act, netizens reacted by saying: “Sacrilege, violence and hate inside one of our holiest Kshetras — Chidambaram Nataraja Temple. A man forces his way into the sanctum, takes Abhishekam milk meant for the Deity, pours it over himself, shouts ‘there is no God,’ and assaults the Dikshitars. Temple sanctity is non-negotiable. The state must act now. And action must be swift and exemplary. @sangamtalks”
This is what Chidambaram Dikshitars face.
A large temple thats not under the control of the state govt face regular harassment . https://t.co/EtQTepplQ5— krithika sivaswamy (@krithikasivasw) January 7, 2026
Critics say: “In Tamil Nadu, the DMK police have a standard reason for destroying, vandalising or breaking open offertories — that the culprit is mentally challenged or in an inebriated state. No medical examinations are conducted; they become doctors issuing certificates. It is a mute question how a mentally challenged or drunken man targets only Hindu temples. They do not touch a church or a mosque. How long will these excuses be repeated, assuming people are fools?”
Critics further question why Dravidian parties have set their sights on the famous Natarajar Temple for its vast wealth and income generation. The temple is managed by the Podu Dikshitars, a hereditary group of priests, following a Supreme Court of India ruling in 2014 that affirmed their rights over Tamil Nadu government control, though ongoing legal disputes with the state’s HR&CE department persist over administration and asset management. There have been instances of ruling and erstwhile politicians creating trouble by filing frivolous complaints and legal cases against the Dikshitars. They (the Podu Dikshitars) are being targeted and intimidated in all possible ways.
