New Delhi: In a key development aimed at resolving a 120-year-old ritual dispute at the historic Sri Devarajaswamy Temple in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, the Supreme Court on Wednesday appointed former judge Sanjay Kishan Kaul as the principal mediator to help the rival sects find an amicable solution.The decision came during a hearing before a bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, which was considering an appeal challenging a Madras High Court judgment that had upheld exclusive ritual rights for the Thenkalai sect at the temple’s sanctum sanctorum.
The dispute involves two Sri Vaishnava sects — Thenkalai and Vadakalai — clashing over ritual recitals and ceremonial worship. Historically, the Thenkalai community has performed the prayers, but the Vadakalai petitioners argue they are being denied their right to participate, despite being a recognised denomination under Article 25 of the Constitution.
In its order, the apex court noted that senior counsel for both sides agreed to try mediation so that day-to-day rituals could proceed without conflict. Justice Kaul — a former Chief Justice of the Madras High Court and Supreme Court judge — was asked to lead the process and may appoint two assistants familiar with Tamil, Sanskrit, temple rituals and history to aid discussions.
The court has posted the matter for further consideration on March 13 as the mediation process begins.
The mediation move reflects the judiciary’s effort to balance religious traditions with constitutional rights, seeking a peaceful resolution to a long-standing dispute over worship practices at one of Tamil Nadu’s most revered temples.