MADURAI: The Madras High Court bench here has resolved a dispute between the villagers of Alagapuri in Dindigul district and their ‘nattamai’ over conducting temple festivals in the village.

Delivering his judgement on the case filed by the ‘nattamai’ of Alagapuri village, Justice N. Kirubakaran said, “This court is unable to understand under which provision of law, the ‘nattamai’ is recognised and made hereditary (to conduct the temple festival). In the period of panchayat raj, the village president alone can have control over the village administration.” Therefore the judge directed the president of Alagapuri panchayat to organise the festival at Muthalamman Temple and Karuvalanachiamman Temple in the village peacefully.

Originally, the petitioner, K.A. Logan, who claimed himself to be the ‘nattamai’ of Alagapuri, filed the writ seeking police protection to conduct the festival at Muthalamman temple and Karuvalanachiamman Temple this month.

He is occupying a hereditary post as the ‘nattamai’ of the village and the villagers had agreed to a resolution passed in 1992, according to which the ‘nattamai’ alone is entitled to conduct the temple festivals under his leadership, contended Mr. Logan through his counsel T.K. Gopalan.

The villagers, however, told the court through their counsel S. Srinivasa Raghavan that the petitioner did not have a declaration from the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment authorities to conduct or preside over the festivals.

The entire village was opposed to Mr. Logan conducting the festivals, the counsel argued.

The petitioner walked out of a peace committee meeting organised on June 7 to discuss about the festival, he further said.

“In the name of god, there should not be any dispute or clash, which are unfortunately happening invariably in many villages leading to communal and group clashes, causing loss of precious human lives, injuries to people, damage and loss to properties and consequently loss of peace and violation of human rights,” Justice N. Kirubakaran noted in his judgement.

“When such is the reality, the celebration itself could be avoided. If such a volatile situation exists, it has to be sorted out. Otherwise, the festival need not be conducted,” he further observed in his judgement.

Justice Kirubakaran also noted in his judgement that there were several cases being heard where the festivals were used as occasions to establish the rights or supremacy of an individual or a group over another individual or a group.

“It is clear that in many cases, festivals and functions are sought to be conducted not with bakthi or reverence in a bonafide manner. The petitioner cannot claim right to conduct the festivals based on a resolution passed in 1992,” the judge said.

He directed the panchayat president to conduct the festivals. “If anybody has grievance with regard to the conduct of the festivals, let them not join and create problem,” the judge ruled.

Source: The Hindu, DT. June 14, 2013.