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New Delhi: The Madras High Court recently ruled that certain practices of honouring heads of mutts cannot be elevated to the status of an absolute legal right, The Indian Express reported.
A bench of Justice S M Subramaniam and Justice C Kumarappan made it clear that the ‘first honour’ in any temple is always to the presiding deity.
The bench was responding to an appeal filed by Srirangam Srimath Andavan Ashramamm regarding a long-drawn dispute over “special honours” or Pancha Mudhirai Mariyadhai at the Sri Devaraja Swamy Temple, Kanchipuram.
‘These kind of special honours can never be demanded, as it cannot be construed as an absolute right. The first honour is always to the deities in the Temple and honouring Heads of Mutts, though being followed as a practice, is an issue to be decided by the competent authority under the Act,’ said the bench on December 15.
Thathadesikar Thiruvamsathar Sabha in its orginal writ petition sought direction to restrain authorities from interfering with the temple’s established religious customs and usages, to enforce Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Act, 1959.
Earlier a single judge bench of the high court recorded the advocate general’s submission that such honours according to traditional practices were confined to five mutts: Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam (Sankara Mutt, Kanchipuram), Sri Ahobila Mutt, Sri Vanamamalai Mutt (Nangunery), Sri Parakala Jeeyar Mutt (Mysore), and Sri Vyasarayar Mutt (Sosale, Udupi).
Based on it, extending the honour beyond this would be open to challenge.
However, Srirangam Srimath Andavan Ashramam in writ appeal contended that the practice of honouring its head had been followed on several occasions after 1991 which was later discontinued without giving it an opportunity of hearing.