Chennai: Madras High Court has acknowledged that Art of Living had the necessary permissions to conduct the Vigyan Bhairvan event at Brihadeshwara temple complex in Thanjavur and also recognised the organisation’s decision to move the event to an alternate venue.
A press release said the programme would have never caused any damage to the temple complex since all the ASI norms were adhered to in toto.
“The programme, Vigyan Bhairav, is a discourse on Shaivism and meditation happens in a Shiva Temple and Brihadeshwara Temple is dedicated to Shiva. Similar discourses have happened in the premises before. Art of Living’s decision to hold meditation in a temple is not in conflict with any religious practice at all,” the release said.
It further said, the petitioner who moved the court against the event misled it by giving factually incorrect information like the fact that the event was a seven day program which it was not.
“He also wrongfully presented a picture as if organisation sought permission for ‘yoga conference’ and included bhajans, which is an incorrect observation. No mention to any ‘yoga conference’ was ever made while seeking permissions. Art of Living maintains that the issue of granting approvals is a larger issue between the Court and the Authorities,” the release said.