A protest broke out at the Tiruvannamalai Arunachaleshwarar Temple after the Joint Commissioner of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department allegedly verbally abused the head priest for permitting VIP darshans, sparking controversy among the temple staff and devotees.
The Tiruvannamalai Arunachaleshwarar Temple, a popular pilgrimage site in South India, attracts thousands of devotees daily, with large crowds during weekends, holidays, Amavasya, and full moon days. On 12 February 2025 (Thai Pournami), lakhs of devotees waited for over five hours to get a glimpse of Lord Annamalaiyar before heading to Girivalam.
Amidst the large crowd, HR&CE Joint Commissioner Jyothi allegedly verbally insulted P.T. Ramesh, the hereditary chief priest, by asking, “Are you working as a broker here?” This remark, made in reference to allowing VIP darshan as per the HR&CE temple procedures, was considered a derogatory insult, as the term used in Tamil indirectly implies a “pimp.”
The insulted chief priest, feeling disrespected, halted all temple rituals, prompting the Shivacharyas to gather in protest in front of the temple’s Yaga-shala. On special occasions with large crowds, it is the responsibility of the HR&CE department and the police to maintain order, not the priests. However, the Joint Commissioner’s abusive remark was directed at the priest, leading to the tense situation.
In response, temple staff and police held discussions with the temple trustees for over an hour to resolve the issue and pacify the protesting Shivacharyas. The priests expressed their anger, stating, “If this is happening to the chief priests, what will happen to the ordinary priests? We are not interfering with the administration of the Joint Commissioner, we are only asking for our rights.” They further asserted that the large crowds were a result of the pujas they performed.
After the talks, the temple trustees assured the Shivacharyas that they would be provided with the necessary information and responses, and agreed to continue the pujas for the time being. The Shivacharyas then temporarily ended their protest.
தலைமை குருக்களை இணை ஆணையர் ஒருமையில் பேசியதாக புகார்.. திருவண்ணாமலை அண்ணாமலையார் கோவில் சிவாச்சாரியார்கள் தர்ணா#Tiruvannamalai | #AnnamalaiyarTemple pic.twitter.com/LUpcj3SRDC
— Polimer News (@polimernews) February 13, 2025
(With inputs from Tamil Mani)
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