The State government on Thursday informed the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court that Soorasamharam festival at Arulmigu Subramaniya Swamy Temple in Tiruchendur in Thoothukudi district would be conducted on the seashore and Thirukalyanam at Thirukalyana Mandapam in the temple precincts.
Taking cognisance of the submission, a Division Bench of Justices N. Kirubakaran and B. Pugalendhi closed a public interest litigation petition filed by advocate B. Ramkumar Adityan who sought a direction to the State to ensure that Kanda Sasti festival was conducted as per tradition.
The judges said the steps taken by the authorities concerned to conduct the festival could not be faulted in view of the spread of COVID-19 pandemic. Standard operating procedures had to be followed, they said, adding television channels must be facilitated to telecast the event live for the benefit of devotees.
During the course of the hearing, the judges refused to accept the submission made by the petitioner’s counsel that Skanda Purana was originally from Nepal and was translated into Tamil. Lord Muruga was a Tamil god and worshipped in south Indian States, the judges observed.
