Perpetuates Caste System: Madras High Court Declines Plea Challenging Removal Of Temple Tender Condition Requiring Participants To Be Vaishnavite Brahmins

The Madras High Court has held that all those who worship Lord Perumal are Vaishavites and insistence that only a Hindu Vaishnavite Brahmin should be permitted to participate in the auction/tender tantamounts to perpetuating the caste system.

The Court was considering a Writ Petition filed challenging the auction notice for running the prasadha kadai in Arulmighu Devarajaswamy Thirukovil, Kancheepuram.

The Bench of Justice N. Anand Venkatesh observed, "....The term "Vaishnavite" has a larger connotation and it should never be identified with reference to a particular community. As rightly held, all those, who worship Lord Perumal are Vaishavites and there cannot be any discrimination based on community. Therefore, the insistence of the petitioner that only a Hindu Vaishnavite Brahmin should be permitted to participate in the auction virtually tantamounts to perpetuating caste system, which does not auger well for a true vaishnavite."

The Petitioner was represented by Senior Advocate T.V. Ramanujam, while the Respondent was represented by Special Government Pleader N.R.R.Arun Natarajan.

Facts of the Case

The Petitioner, claiming to be an ardent devotee of Arulmighu Devarajaswamy Thirukovil, Kancheepuram, argued that there is prasadha kadai inside the temple compound near the vahana mandapam and as per the customs and practice followed from the year 1953, the right to run the prasadha kadai has always been given in favour of the Vaishnavite Brahmins.

It was his submission that in the Notices issued earlier by the Respondent, it was specifically stated that the person, who participated in the auction for the prasadha kadai must be a Hindu Vaishnavite Brahmin. However, all of a sudden, the impugned auction notice was issued by removing this condition and the present condition found at Clause 18 was put to challenge here in the present writ petition.

On the other hand, the Standing Counsel submitted that the present case involves a prasadha kadai where there is no such requirement that only a Hindu Vaishnavite Brahmin must participate in the auction. He further submitted that the Petitioner is not even a participant in the auction and he has only been set up by some other person, who was earlier running the shop.

Reasoning By Court

The Court noted that even as per the auction notice, there is no compromise on the rituals followed, agama practices and also the fact that the concerned person must have experience in preparing prasadam in vaishnavite temple with a minimum of five years and the person employed need not necessarily be a Hindu Vaishnavite Brahmin.

"I am in complete agreement with the above order passed by Hon'ble Mr.Justice B.Pugalendhi. The term "Vaishnavite" has a larger connotation and it should never be identified with reference to a particular community. As rightly held, all those, who worship Lord Perumal are Vaishavites and there cannot be any discrimination based on community. Therefore, the insistence of the petitioner that only a Hindu Vaishnavite Brahmin should be permitted to participate in the auction virtually tantamounts to perpetuating caste system, which does not auger well for a true vaishnavite. As has been observed supra, there is going to be no compromise to the ritual practices/agamas and also the experience in preparing prasadham in vaishnavite temple earlier for five years. If that is ensured, it does not really matter as to whether the participant belongs to a brahmin community", the Court observed.

The Petition was accordingly dismissed.

Cause Title: L.Ravi vs. The Executive Officer (2025:MHC:1972)

Appearances:

Petitioner- Senior Advocate T.V. Ramanujam, Advocate R.Ramya

Respondent- Special Government Pleader N.R.R.Arun Natarajan,

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