The crescent flag hoisted by the Sikandar Badusha Dargah as part of its Sandhanakoodu Flag Hoisting festival was removed by government authorities, citing encroachment on temple land.
According to official sources, the crescent flag was hoisted on 21 December 2025 on a Kallathi tree located near the dargah on Thirupparankundram Hill. The issue escalated after complaints were raised alleging that the tree in question stands on land belonging to the temple.
The matter reached the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court last week, where the court sought an explanation regarding the flag hoisting and directed the authorities to take appropriate action. Following the court’s intervention, the temple administration filed a complaint at the Thirupparankundram Police Station, leading to the registration of a case alleging that the dargah side had hoisted the flag on temple-owned property.
Acting on this, officials from the Revenue Department, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department, and the Police Department jointly removed the flag that had been tied to the Kallathi tree on the hill.
The temple administration has stated that the flag was erected after informing the police, maintaining that due process was followed, as reported in Tamil Hindustan Samachar.
However, the removal has triggered a counterreaction from the dargah administration. Opposing the action, the Thirupparankundram Sikandar Badusha Dargah side has submitted a complaint petition to the office of the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Thirupparankundram, demanding action over what it terms as the unilateral removal of the flag.
Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.
