SONA KRISHNAMOORTHY Vs. COMMISSIONER HR&CE DEPARTMENT &

JUDGEMENT

(1.) A devotee of Lord Subramanya of Thiruchendur filed a writ petition seeking the issue of a writ of Mandamus to forbear the Board of Trustees of Tiruchendur temple from constructing, on the occasion of the kumbabhishekam of the temple, the yagasala for the uthsavamurthy Shanmugar, outside the compound wall of the temple, contending that it was opposed to the mandate of Agama Sastras. Finding that there are conflicting views on the issue among scholars, the learned Judge dismissed the writ petition holding that it is beyond the realm of this Court to resolve the issue. Aggrieved, the devotee is on appeal.

(2.) WE have heard Mr.V.Raghavachari, learned counsel for the appellant, Mr.K.M.Vijayakumar, learned Additional Government Pleader for the first respondent, Mr.Srinivasaragavan, learned counsel for the temple and Mr.R.Thiagarajan, learned Senior Counsel for the respondents 3 to 7, who are the Board of Trustees of the temple.

(3.) MADE preparations for locating the yagasala for the utsavamurthy, outside the precincts of the temple. The appellant objected to the same on the ground that it is violative of Agama Sastras, but the respondents overruled the objections on the ground that they needed a bigger place for locating 49 homa kundas (pits where sacrificial fire is to be developed for the performance of religious oblations) in the yagasala and to facilitate easy access to devotees, lakhs of whom are expected to throng the temple for the occasion.