“Is It A Butcher Shop? How Can They Call It Sikandar Hill? It Is Murugan Hill”: Madurai Adheenam Slams Islamists Who Had Non-Veg Food At Thiruparankundram Hill

On On 25 January 2025, Madurai city police stopped Madurai Adheenam pontiff, Sri Gnanasambanda Desika Swamigal, from visiting the Kasi Viswanathar temple on Thirupparankundram hill. In a separate incident, they also prevented BJP Minority Morcha National Secretary Syed Ibrahim and his supporters from visiting the dargah on the same hill, citing potential law and order concerns.

Tensions had been rising in Thirupparankundram following a recent incident where DMK ally and IUML Ramanathapuram MP Navas Kani posted a photo of his supporters eating cooked non-vegetarian food while visiting the Sikandar dargah at the foothills of sacred Hindu site Thirupparankundram hills demanding the right to perform animal sacrifices on the hill. In response, BJP and Hindu organizations condemned the MP’s actions, calling them disrespectful and provocative toward Hindus disturbing the social fabric of the area.

In this context, Syed Ibrahim and other BJP members attempted to visit the dargah, but the police intervened. Ibrahim questioned why Navas Kani was allowed to pray at the dargah without obstruction. The police briefly detained him and his supporters.

Later that day, the Madurai Adheenam pontiff, Sri Gnanasambanda Desika Swamigal speaking to the media, said, “I planned to visit the Kasi Viswanathar Temple on Thirupparankundram Hill today for darshan, but the police stopped me. I think the police are worried that people from other religions might cause trouble for me, but I was only going there to pray. How can they call it Sikandar Hill? It is the Murugan Hill. All the literature refers to it as the Murugan Hill. Christianity and Islam originated from foreign lands. We respect and accommodate their beliefs, and they should also learn to respect and accommodate ours. In our temple, people do not bring or consume non-vegetarian food… Except for the BJP, no other political party has raised their voice on this issue because they fear losing minority votes. That is why they remain silent.”

Madurai, Tamil Nadu | Madurai Adheenam Pointiff, Sri La Sri Harihara Sri Gnanasambanda Desika Swamigal says, "I planned to visit the Kasi Viswanathar Temple on Thiruparankundram Hill today for darshan, but the police stopped me. I think the police are worried that people from… pic.twitter.com/eP1VK6uZNt

— ANI (@ANI) January 25, 2025

Commenting on the provocative move by DMK ally and IUML Ramanathapuram MP, who posted a picture of himself and his supporters eating non-vegetarian food near the temple foothills, the Madurai Adheenam pontiff questioned, “When there’s a Shaivite temple at the foothill, should you do this? No one questions the worship there; let them practice. The issue arose because they ate meat—is it a butcher shop?”