Chennai: In a new development to the ongoing row over lighting of a lamp at the famed Tirupparankundram hills in Madurai, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, which administers the Subramanya Swamy temple on Monday said the deepathoon (stone pillar) was once used by Jain Digambaras. The State has appealed against an order by Justice G R Swaminathan to light the Karthigai Deepam lamp at the deepathoon which is located near a dargah on the hills.
The senior counsel representing the Deparmtent told Justices G Jayachandran and K K Ramkarishnan that the stone pillar in question was established by the Jains and did not belong to the Hindus. [Earlier, there was a claim that the pillar was only a survey stone and did not have religious significance. However this widely circulated claim was not mentioned officially in any forum.]
The counsel said there were similar pillars in Madurai district including the one in Samanar Hills near Keelakuyilkudi and also in Shravanabelagola in Karnataka.
“Digambaras who came from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh to Madurai used to live in the Tirupparankundram hills,” the counsel said adding, the pillar was by them for lighting lamps when they assembled during nights. “This was not the place where Karthigai Deepam was lit. The Karthigai Deepam was lit at the Uchi Pillaiyar Temple mandapam and there was reference to this,” he submitted.
Attempt to convert the nature of the stone pillar should not be permitted, he added. The court will continue hearing the matter on Tuesday.
