In a recent unsettling incident in Tamil Nadu, a woman was found reading the Bible inside the Kapaleeswarar Temple, situated in the heart of Chennai, during daylight hours. This incident occurred against the backdrop of a recent ruling by the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, which ordered the restriction of non-Hindus from entering the Palani Murugan Temple. This decision sparked controversy, with the Dravidian factions questioning its validity. Additionally, HR&CE Minister Sekar Babu declared intentions to counter this ruling, shedding light on the reasons behind such decisions.
The Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department had earlier prevent Hindu Munnani members from chanting “Om Namashivaya” and submitting a “pradhu” (prayer petition). Netizens now raise concerns about why the department seemed to overlook incidents like the woman reading the Bible in the Kapaleeswarar Temple.
Recently, Pon. Manickavel, former Idol Wing Officer and known for bringing ancient idols to their rightful place at temples, was denied entry into a temple, yet the filming of distasteful item songs was permitted.
So what exactly happened at Kapaleeshwarar temple in Mylapore? A woman has been consistently reciting “Paava Arikkai,” a confessional prayer seeking forgiveness from “The Lord Jesus,” within the Kapaleeshwarar Temple. This practice has been ongoing for several days, raising concerns as she considers the deity and mode of worship within the temple as “false” and “sinful,” while seeking forgiveness from her “One True Lord.”
When questioned, she identifies herself as a Hindu but rejects the application of Vibhoothi or Kumkum, and questions the purpose of others going to church for confession, implying she can do the same in the temple for reciting Paava Arikkai.
This situation is problematic on various levels. Within the sacred premises of Kapaleeshwara, an individual who perceives this deity and form of worship as deviating from the correct path seeks forgiveness from their chosen deity. Netizens appreciate the devotees who took a firm stand against such inappropriate proselytization within the temple and express concern that the HR&CE department may attempt to downplay the incident.
In a recent landmark judgment too by the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court, it was declared that individuals of other religions should not enter the temple beyond the Kodimaram (The sacred flagpole), a directive that should be prominently displayed by the department near the sacred flagpole. The temple is not considered a “public place”; only devotees of the deity should be granted access, emphasizing the importance of setting clear boundaries. The Paava Arikkai is not a benign, universally accepted prayer.
Reflecting on the passages within the prayer:
“O Lord, Our Father, we have transgressed against you in thought and speech.
We have not loved you with complete devotion.
We implore your mercy.
Remove our sinful impurities and cleanse us.”
Consider why the recitation of such lines within temple premises should be scrutinized and restricted.
Exemplar Paava Arikkai Jebam: “Almighty and compassionate Father, we have strayed from Your path like escaped sheep. We have followed the desires and thoughts of our hearts. We have violated your sacred commandments and engaged in forbidden actions. We are unwell. Yet, in accordance with the promises made by God through our Lord Jesus Christ to humanity, show mercy to us, the unwitting offenders. Be patient with us as we confess our transgressions and guide us in correcting our sorrow for our sins. Most Merciful Father, for the sake of Jesus Christ, grant us the grace to lead a life of godliness, righteousness, and clarity of mind, bringing glory to Your holy name. Amen.
God our Father, we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed. Our love for you is not wholehearted. We do not treat our neighbor with the same love we have for ourselves. We earnestly seek your mercy. Purify us by removing the stains of our sins. Aid us in overcoming our transgressions. We offer this prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.”
One person was reading Bible inside Kapaleeswarar Temple and caught. While the @tnhrcedept is very keen on not allowing Bhakthas to even sit and speak or even chant "Om Namashivaya", how do they keep their eyes closed on such issues? Recently Sri. Pon. Manickavel was stopped… pic.twitter.com/xmHHuz4et1
— Dharmic Indians (@dharmic_indians) February 25, 2024
Atrocius.
This lady has been reading "Paava Arikkai" , a form of confession "prayer" that asks for Forgiveness from "The Lord" for falling away from the true path like a lost herd of sheep.
Not an isolated incident, she's been reading it for many days within the Kapaleeshwarar… https://t.co/nBRwtD8oHQ
— Tamil Labs 2.0 (@labstamil) February 25, 2024
A Hindu woman began recording a woman reading the Bible and reciting a confession of sin prayer within the temple premises. She promptly alerts the authorities. As they try to find out who the woman with the Bible is, they find out that the woman in questio nwas actually reading the Paava Arikkai. It was found that the woman doing so had been doing this for quite a few days but it was assumed that she was studying something else. Upon confronting the Christian woman, she said, “If you don’t want us to come and ask for forgiveness, let it go, we won’t come and ask.” When asked if the deity was whom she followed, the Christian woman said, “This is our god since childhood.” She further adds, “You can come here and tell me not to say about sins, but you have no right to say that I should not come to the temple for that”. When the Hindu woman insisted that non-Hindus were not permitted inside the temple, the Christian woman replied, “I am a Hindu since birth,”but she refused to accept Vibhuti from the Hindu woman. Later the Christian woman claimed, “Your people come to church to confess their sin,”
Subsequently, the temple authorities counselled the Christian women and requested her to leave.
The Kapaleeshwarar temple was recently in the news after an arson attack took place near the East Mada Street gate of the temple.
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