Madurai: Madras High Court bench yesterday directed the Sivaganga District Collector and Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment board to file a counter on a petition seeking permission to conduct the Kandadevi temple festival with car procession this year.
Petitioner Sornalingam Ambalam from Kandadevi said the Sri Siragilinathar Swamy temple was administrated by Sivagangai Samasthanam's devasthanam and the Nattars and there were previous issues between certain communities on the customary right of pulling the temple car.
When the issue was taken to the Court, it directed that all people, irrespective of caste or creed, take part in it.
the festival was not held in 1998, 2000 and 2001 fearing law and order problem. During 2002,and from 2004 to 2006, it was conducted with active participation of all people.
Thereafter, renovation work was started for Kumbabishekam and no festival was conducted till 2012, he said.
