Madras High Court Upholds Equality at Kancheepuram Temple, Cites Bhagavad Gita
· India · Indian Express, The Hindu
The Madras High Court ruled that the Arulmigu Devaraja Swamy Temple at Kancheepuram is not discriminating against non‑Brahmin devotees, citing Chapter 9 of the Bhagavad Gita. Justices G Jayachandran and E Manoharan said all living beings are equal before God and that a place of worship cannot allow discrimination. The court recorded the temple’s claim that it permits equal access to all devotees, including non‑Brahmins, for rituals such as hymn recitation and prasadam distribution. The petitioner had alleged that non‑Brahmins were directed to use a side entrance and were excluded from certain shrine activities, but the High Court found no proof of such practices. The decision was issued on August 17, after hearing the PIL filed by a Thenkalai Vaishnavite devotee who declared himself a regular worshipper of Lord Devarajaswamy. The court found no intention to disrupt traditional rituals, and stated that the temple’s procedures align with its stated policy of non‑discrimination. The order
Why it matters
The judgment protects the rights of non‑Brahmin devotees to participate fully in temple rituals at a major South Indian shrine, affirming the legal precedent that religious institutions must maintain equal access for all worshippers.
Read the original report — Indian Express
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