The Madras High Court on Monday directed the Tamil Nadu government and the State Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department to ensure non-Hindus are not permitted to enter beyond the flagpole area of the Palani temple (Arulmigu Dhandayuthapaniswamy Temple) and its sub-temples in Tamil Nadu, saying that they are not a picnic spot.
The High Court said that temples are not picnic spots and Hindus too like other communities have the right to practice their religion without interference. The Court, therefore, directed the State government to “install boards indicating non-Hindus are not allowed” inside the temple premises beyond the flag pole.
The High Court was hearing a plea from D Senthilkumar – organiser of Palani hill temple devotees organisation – who sought directions to permit only Hindus to the Arulmigu Palani Dhandayuthapani Swamy temple and sub-temples. In his plea, Senthilkumar said that in June last year, a Muslim family with several women in “Burquas,” had purchased tickets at the winch station to go to the Palani hilltop, the temple’s premises. After the authorities tried stopping them, they argued that there was no board barring the entry of non-Hindus. The family wanted to go to the hilltop to click pictures, Senthilkumar told the court.
The court also ordered that if any non-Hindu wishes to enter the temple, a written undertaking should be obtained from such person that she believes in Hindu religion, its customs and the temple deities. “The respondents are directed not to allow the non-Hindus who do not believe in Hindu religion. If any non-Hindu claims to visit a particular deity in the temple, then the respondents shall obtain an undertaking from the said non-Hindu that he has faith in the deity and he would follow the customs and practices of the Hindu religion and also abide by the temple customs and on such undertaking, the said non-Hindu may be allowed to visit the temple,” the court ruled.
“If a non-Hindu is not having faith and decline to follow the customs and practices of the Hindu religion and decline to follow the temple customs, then the said non-Hindu cannot be allowed and hence there is no question of hurting his sentiments. On the other hand if the non-Hindu who declines to follow the customs and practices of the Hindu religion and decline to follow the temple customs is allowed inside the temple, it would affect the sentiments of the large number of Hindus who practices the faith as Hindu reverently,” the court said.
