The Revenue Divisional Officer in Tamil Nadu’s Mayiladuthurai has revoked the ban imposed on the palanquin carriage of the Dharmapuram Adheenam Seer during the ‘Pattina Pravesam’ ritual. The administration in an order last week had banned the traditional practice of people carrying the seer in a palanquin citing law & order concerns and alleged human rights violations caused by the tradition.
Mayiladuthurai’s Revenue Divisional Officer has officially revoked the ban on Dharmapuram Adheenam Seer’s Pattinaprevasam on May 22
— Anto Fernando (@AntoWrites) May 8, 2022
The RDO had earlier banned people carrying the Seer in a palanquin due to law & order concerns & human rights concerns@NewIndianXpress @xpresstn pic.twitter.com/XMpqeWHQUM
A huge controversy had erupted in Tamil Nadu after the Mayiladuthurai Collectorate refused permission to conduct the traditional ritual of ‘Pattina Pravesam’ – a tradition in which devotees pay reverence to the seer of the Dharmapuram Adheenam by carrying him on a palanquin around the premises of his mutt. The Revenue Divisional Officer of Mayiladuthurai J Balaji, justifying the ban, claimed that the practice was a “violation of human rights” and would create law and order problems.
It all started when the Dravidar Kazhagam and other far-left outfits objected to the tradition and opposed the district authorities for permitting the event. Further, the groups had also questioned the conduct of the ‘Pattina Pravesam’ ritual by the Shaivite mutt based in the town of Tiruvavaduthurai in Kuthalam Taluk in the district earlier.
Protest by Hindu authorities
Following the order issued by the Mayiladuthurai Collectorate, Hindu organisations and devotees reacted strongly with a demand to withdraw the order. The 293rd pontiff of Madurai Adheenam Sri La Sri Harihara Sri Gnanasambanda Desika Swamigal took a stand that he will himself lift the palanquin if permission to the same is denied. BJP Tamil Nadu President K Annamalai had tweeted to voice out his support in a similar gesture. “Ban on Dharmapura Adheenam’s centuries-old ‘Pattina Pravesham’ is an affront to TN’s civilisational culture. I’ll be personally there to carry the Adhinam on Palanquin on my shoulders,” he tweeted.
Ban on Dharmapura Adheenam’s centuries old ‘Pattina Pravesham’ is an affront to T N’s civilisational culture
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) May 4, 2022
I’ll be personally there to carry the Adhinam on Palanquin on my shoulders
We will request the Adhinam to allow us to conduct the event by overturning this illegal order pic.twitter.com/4nMPYt9sMf
Following the fiasco, the chief of Madurai Adheenam Sri Harihara Sri Gnanasambanda Desika Swamigal stated that there is a threat to his life for speaking out against the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government’s order. According to the reports, he alleged that he was being threatened for posting questions to the MK Stalin-led government over their encroachment on the rights of Hindu temples. The Hindu seer also expressed to meet PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to convey to them the concerns regarding danger to his life.
Authorities revoke the ban
In a fresh order on May 8, Sunday, Mayiladuthurai’s Revenue Divisional Officer has now officially revoked the ban on Dharmapuram Adheenam Seer’s Pattina Pravesam ritual. Revenue Divisional Officer of Mayiladuthurai J Balaji has taken the decision after a large number of Hindus and Hindu groups in Tamil Nadu objected to the invasion of the State in the religious tradition.
DMK govt is anti-Hindu govt, regularly attacking the Hindu rituals, cultures & traditions. After strong opposition, the govt has revoked the ban on ‘Pattina Pravesam’ of the Dharumapuram Adheenam: Narayanan Thirupathy, Vice President, BJP Tamil Nadu pic.twitter.com/VvSuyaR0yg
— ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2022
After the ban has been revoked, the Pattina Pravesam of the Dharmapuram Adheenam Seer will take place on 22nd May. Reacting to the development, BJP Tamil Nadu president Narayanan Thirupathy said that the DMK govt is anti-Hindu govt, which regularly attacks the Hindu rituals, cultures and traditions. He said that the ban has been revoked due to a strong opposition.
