Interim Orders Limit Festival to Urus and Prohibit Animal Sacrifice and Non-Vegetarian Food
In a decisive move, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, presided over by Justice S. Srimathy, has issued interim orders significantly restricting the Kandhoori festival on Thiruparankundram hill. The court has directed that only the Urus festival be conducted, with the number of participants limited to fifty. This order comes in response to a writ petition filed by M. Manickamoorthy, seeking to prohibit the performance of the Kandhoori festival on the hill.
The court's interim orders also strictly prohibit animal sacrifice and the carrying, cooking, or consumption of non-vegetarian food from the base of the hill to its summit. The official respondents have been directed to enforce these prohibitions rigorously.
The Additional Advocate General, Mr. R.Baskaran, representing the first and second respondents, stated that permission would only be granted for the Santhanakoodu Urus festival scheduled for January 6, 2026. This follows the precedent set in 2023, denying permission for the Kandhoori Mahautsav, as per orders by Justice Vijayakumar.
The court emphasized the need for strict adherence to previous judgments by the Full Bench and other related suits. The police have been instructed to maintain law and order during the festival period.
The case is scheduled for a subsequent hearing on January 20, 2026, for the filing of a counter affidavit, ensuring the enforcement of these interim measures.
Bottom Line:
Prohibition of Kandhoori festival on Thiruparankundram hill - Interim orders passed restricting the festival to Urus alone and prohibiting animal sacrifice, non-vegetarian food, and limiting participants to fifty.
Statutory provision(s): Writ of Mandamus, Law and Order Directives, Principles of Res Judicata
