The Tamil Nadu Waqf Board told the Madras High Court (Madurai Bench) on Monday that the minority community is facing difficulty enjoying its land amid the ongoing dispute over lighting the Karthigai Deepam lamp atop Thiruparankundram hill.
The Board challenged a single judge’s earlier order directing the lamp to be lit on an ancient stone pillar known as the Deepathoon, saying the directive affects their rights and interests.
The court hearing comes amid broader legal battles over where the traditional festival lamp should be lit during the Karthigai Deepam festival. Earlier, the High Court had allowed petitions to light the lamp at the Deepathoon, which is located near the Sikandar Badusha Avuliya Dargah on the hilltop, ruling that doing so would not infringe on the religious rights of the dargah or minority community.
However, the state government and temple authorities have filed appeals, arguing that there is no solid evidence that the stone pillar is historically a lamp pillar, and claiming that the customary lighting has traditionally taken place at the Uchipillaiyar temple area.
Local community groups have urged authorities to implement the High Court’s directive to light the lamp at the Deepathoon, suggesting that the move would honour traditional practices and enhance visibility.
The dispute has sparked wider civic responses, including calls for religious harmony and peace in Madurai, with rallies organised to emphasise communal unity amid differing views on the hill’s rituals and historical usage.