The Madras High Court on Friday (June 13, 2025) reserved its judgment in a long-running dispute between two Vaishnavite sects — Vadakalai and Tenkalai — over the recitation of their respective hymns at the Devarajaswamy Temple in Kancheepuram.
After reserving its verdict, the presiding judge made a light-hearted yet significant observation from the bench, stating, “My biggest worry now is that the steno who will come to take dictation in the evening should neither be a Vadakalai nor a Tenkalai.”
In #MadrasHighCourt after reserving judgement in a case between Tenkalai & Vadakalai sects of Vaishnavites
Judge: My biggest worry now is that the steno who will come to take dictation in the evening should neither be a Vadakalai or a Tenkalai— Mohamed Imranullah S (@imranhindu) June 13, 2025
The conflict traces back to an order passed by Justice S.M. Subramaniam in May 2022, which held that both sects should be allowed to recite their respective hymns in the ancient shrine — reflecting “tolerance” as a hallmark of Hinduism — with Tenkalai sitting in the first few rows due to their longstanding tradition and Vadakalai following afterwards alongside other devotees. This arrangement was subsequently stayed by a Division Bench, and the current appeals are now up for a final decision.
The two appeals have been filed by individuals representing the Tenkalai sect, who challenged the previous order. The Division Bench — composed of Justices R. Mahadevan and P.D. Audikesavalu — after hearing extensive arguments from a battery of lawyers, scheduled the final hearings for January 2024 following the Christmas vacation in 2023. The judges also directed the lawyers to come prepared with submissions and details of the hymns in dispute.
(With inputs from The Hindu)
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