A land parcel valued at approximately ₹100 crore, located at the foothills of the Palani Murugan Temple, has been allegedly illegally registered in the names of two private individuals, sparking outrage. The property, which is currently being used as a free vehicle parking facility for devotees, is at the center of a major controversy.
According to historical records, the 1-acre-40-cent land was originally gifted in 1888 by one Kuppusamy Maniyakkar of Balasamuthiram to the Dhandapani Swamy Temple. The endowment was made through a dharma sasanam (charitable deed) for the specific purposes of constructing a monastery (madam) and propagating Hindu religious principles. The deed explicitly states that the land cannot be sold or alienated under any circumstances, as it is a public trust property.
The Palani temple administration took possession of the land in September 2025 to safeguard it and has since maintained it as a free parking area for pilgrims. The temple’s legal status as the rightful administrator of this property has been upheld by multiple courts, including the Principal Subordinate Court of Palani, the Madras High Court, and the Supreme Court of India, which have all confirmed that the land is a public trust asset and cannot be claimed by private individuals.
Despite these clear legal protections and repeated written warnings from the temple administration, the land was illegally registered in the names of two individuals a few days ago in July 2026. Sources indicate that the registration was carried out by a sub-registrar who was holding additional charge following the transfer of the regular joint sub-registrar. The official allegedly failed to verify the necessary documents and blatantly disregarded existing court orders, enabling the fraudulent registration.
In response, the temple’s executive officer, Marimuthu, has filed an appeal before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, challenging the illegal registration. Additionally, he has submitted a detailed report with supporting documents to the Inspector General of Registration in Chennai, demanding the immediate cancellation of the fraudulent deed and stringent disciplinary action against the erring official responsible for the registration.
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