Don’t mention caste names in temple invitation, orders Madras High Court

Madras High Court condemns caste-based exclusion in temple festival invitations, emphasizing inclusivity and equality for all Hindu individuals.

The Madras High Court has denounced the practice of mentioning the names of particular dominant castes in a temple festival invitation and subsuming the Scheduled Castes under the generic term of ‘oorar’ (local residents) on the pretext that the latter do not make monetary contributions for the celebration.

A Division Bench of Justices M.S. Ramesh and A.D. Maria Clete wrote: “We are of the considered opinion that temple festivals should be inclusive and celebrated by all people belonging to the Hindu religion, which, by definition, includes Scheduled Caste individuals as well.”

The Bench went on to write: “The practice of listing specific caste names in the temple invitation solely on the basis of financial contributions is unwarranted, especially when the exclusion of Scheduled Caste individuals is justified on the ground that they have not made monetary contributions.”

The judges directed the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department to ensure that the invitations to be printed in the future for the annual festival of the Arulmigu Nadiamman Temple in Pattukottai of Thanjavur district do not carry the names of any caste groups.

The orders were passed on a public interest litigation petition filed by local resident K.P. Selvaraj insisting upon mentioning Adi Dravidars (Scheduled Castes) too in the invitation. Senior counsel G. Prabhu Rajadurai, assisted by I. Robert Chandrakumar, had argued the case for the petitioner.

After reserving orders in the case at the Madurai Bench of the High Court and pronouncing them at the principal seat in Chennai, the Division Bench disapproved of the practice of the temple festival invitation carrying the caste names of Rajus, Naidu Vagayars, Kallars and Chettiars for having sponsored the mandagapadi.

The Bench also expressed suprise over the Executive Officer of the temple having filed a counter affidavit justifying the printing of select caste names in the invitation on the ground that the Scheduled Caste residents do not contribute any money for the conduct of the first day of the festival.