A sinister move to ascertain the ownership of Thiruparankundram temple land is unfolding around the Hazrat Sultan Sikandar Badusha Auliya Dargah, a 13th-century Sufi shrine in Madurai. The Dargah management, which had hoisted a crescent flag atop the sthala viruksha (sacred tree) — the Kallathi tree — with the help of police, has now complained that the flag was missing, despite being fully aware that it was removed following court orders.
Knowing well that the removal was carried out by State authorities in compliance with judicial directions, the Dargah management has nevertheless approached the police claiming that their flag had gone missing. The move has raised questions over whether the complaint was intended to project victimhood despite clear legal developments.
The Thiruparankundram Subramaniya Swamy Temple officials, acting on the directions of a single bench, lodged a complaint before the Thiruparankundram police on January 10 over the unauthorised hoisting of a flag atop Thiruparankundram Hill.
It is alleged that on the night of December 12, unknown persons trespassed on temple premises and erected a flag on top of the Kallathi tree to announce the Sandhanakoodu Festival at the Sikandar Badusha Dargah. The Executive Officer of the temple, Yagna Narayanan, informed the court that permission from the temple authorities had not been obtained before the Dargah authorities tied the Pallivasal flag to the tree located in the Deepathoon area.
BREAKING: Dargah Administration Hoists Crescent Flag at Thiruparankundram Hill, Sparks Protests
A crescent flag was hoisted by the Dargah administration at the Thiruparankundram Murugan mandir site in Madurai, Tamil Nadu.
Hindu groups began protesting soon after, demanding the… pic.twitter.com/TISCjHazNQ
— Organiser Weekly (@eOrganiser) December 12, 2025
On January 9, Justice G.R. Swaminathan observed that the primary order passed by the Court had already been upheld by the Division Bench on January 6. The Bench had categorically declared that the Deepathoon area, located on the lower peak of the hill, belongs to the temple. The court noted that, in connection with the Sandhanakoodu festival, the Dargah authorities had nevertheless tied the Pallivasal flag on a tree in the Deepathoon area.
Yagna Narayanan further stated that the act was carried out without permission and conceded that what was committed by the Dargah officials amounted to rank criminal trespass. He submitted that since temple property had been unlawfully trespassed upon, he would immediately lodge a complaint with the jurisdictional police and comply with all formalities required to initiate criminal prosecution.
Subsequently, in a joint operation, officials from the Revenue Department, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department, and the Police removed the flag that had been tied to the Kallathi tree, the sthala viruksha of the temple located on the hill.
"தர்கா கொடி அகற்றம்"🔥#Thiruparankundram pic.twitter.com/5T1woY4ow0
— MR.Anil (@Saffron_Anil_) January 15, 2026
Despite these developments, the Dargah management, fully aware of the court directions and the official removal, attempted to project itself as a victim. The Thiruparankundram Sikandar Badusha Dargah submitted a complaint to the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Thiruparankundram, claiming that its flag was missing from the tree and demanding action over what it termed the unilateral removal of the flag.
Reacting to this, a netizen, Sanghiprince, wrote on social media: “Our dargah flag was stolen,” say the Muslims. Really? Where did you plant it? On the sacred tree of Thiruparankundram Murugan temple. With whose protection? DMK Govt. Who told you to remove it? Court. Radicals backed by rascal DMK are the core problem of Tamil Nadu.”
"Our dargah flag was stolen," say the Muslims.
Really? Where did you plant it?
On the sacred tree of Thiruparankundram Murugan temple.With whose protection?
DMK Govt.Who told you to remove it?
Court.Radicals backed by rascal DMK are the core problem of TamilNadu.💀 pic.twitter.com/E5X9P3vEXa
— Sanghi Prince 🚩 (@SanghiPrince) January 16, 2026
Temple management, for its part, lodged a complaint against unknown persons, despite being aware that Dargah management functionaries, with police assistance, had climbed the tree and hoisted the flag. Hindu devotees were reportedly not allowed to visit the Kashi Viswanathar temple, and when objections were raised, they were permitted only to assist Muslims in hoisting the flag.
Multiple video footages exist showing Muslim men and Dargah officials carrying and hoisting the flag at night.
However, the HR&CE complaint named unknown persons, ostensibly to comply with court directions. It is expected that this aspect will be brought to the court’s attention at the next hearing by the Hindu devotees’ side.
During the hearings, Muslim representatives claimed ownership of the Deepathoon area.
In February 2025, when attempts were made to bring goats and chickens for sacrifice atop the hill, Hindu groups objected. IUML MP Navas Kani and a DMK Muslim MLA had earlier shared videos of consuming non-vegetarian food there, claiming the land to be Waqf property. Attempts were also made to rename the hill as Sikandar Hill, which led to Hindus organising a Bhagwan Murugan conference in June last year to assert the ownership.
The Madras High Court recently expressed serious concern over the absence of a criminal trespass complaint by temple authorities against the Dargah management, despite the unauthorised flag hoisting within the Arulmigu Subramania Swamy Temple property.
A Division Bench of Justice G. Jayachandran and Justice K.R. Ramakrishnan observed that the Sikandar Dargah is not a notified Dargah or mosque under the Waqf Act. The Bench noted that the entire Thiruparankundram Hill had been declared a protected monument as early as 1905 and that, following amendments to the Waqf Act, the Waqf Board has no locus in the matter. The court further stated that the Waqf’s claim over the Deepathoon area, raised for the first time during arguments, was mischievous and undermined its offer of mediation.
Earlier, in December, Indu Makkal Katchi functionary M. Solaikannan submitted a petition to Madurai District Collector K.J. Praveen, seeking to prevent the Dargah administration from hoisting a ceremonial flag for the Sandhanakoodu festival on the Kallathi tree. He stated that the red flag bearing a crescent symbol had been hoisted on the sacred and historically significant sthalaviruksham, which belongs to the Thiruparankundram temple, and demanded its removal and replacement with a rooster-emblem flag representing the temple.
Critics argue that these developments reflect an attempt to play the victim card, allegedly in collusion with the DMK government, to dilute Hindu traditions and assert ownership over the hill. They allege that repeated court setbacks have led to renewed efforts to stake claim over the entire hill, warning that appeasement policies risk fuelling prolonged agitation.
