In a significant directive aimed at heritage conservation, the Madras High Court on Tuesday ordered the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department to undertake immediate restoration and repair of the ancient Arulmighu Jalanatheswarar Temple in Thakkolam, Ranipet district. The court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by advocate B. Jagannath, who sought urgent action citing the temple’s deteriorating condition and its historical importance.
The PIL was prompted by a March 2025 report in The Hindu by journalist Kolappan, which highlighted the crumbling northern outer wall, and a derelict temple tank overrun by debris and wild vegetation. The article also noted that the last kumbabishekam (consecration ceremony) was held over 15 years ago.
The petitioner emphasized Thakkolam’s status as a critical heritage site in Tamil Nadu, historically known as Thiruvural, and referenced its deep connection to the Chola dynasty. B. Jagannath pointed out that this was the battleground where Chola crown prince Rajaditya, son of Parantaka I, was killed in 949 CE while fighting Rashtrakutas – a turning point in South Indian history.
The temple, a 6th-century Pallava structure enriched by Chola and Nayak contributions, houses more than 50 inscriptions from the Pallava, Chola, and later dynasties. It is also one of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams glorified in the Tevaram hymns. Historians like Nilakanta Sastri and R. Kalaikovan have used these inscriptions to reconstruct Chola chronology. The CISF recently renamed its Recruits Training Centre at Arakkonam in memory of Rajaditya, further underlining the site’s historical prominence.
During the hearing, government counsel representing the HR&CE Department submitted that both the State-Level Expert Committee and Regional Committee had already approved the necessary restoration measures. The High Court recorded this submission and directed Respondents including various senior HR&CE officials- senior officials from the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department including the Commissioner and Joint Commissioner (Thirupani HQ) in Chennai, the Joint Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner of Ranipet Division, and the Inspector/Executive Officer of Arulmighu Jalanatheswarar Temple in Thakkolam, to carry out the work within a reasonable timeframe. It also granted the petitioner liberty to approach the court again if there was any undue delay.
The PIL highlighted that urgent repairs were needed not only for the tank and outer wall but also for the rajagopuram and inscription-laden structures, warning that improper methods could permanently erase heritage that has survived over a millennium. Jagannath urged that all work be supervised by expert bodies and possibly the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), given their heritage conservation experience. He also called for the appointment of an independent monitoring committee, preferably chaired by a retired High Court judge or a senior advocate from Thakkolam.
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