Madras High Court refuses to interfere with Sathumurai festival for Sri Thatha Desigan in Devarajaswamy Temple

Madras High Court dismisses writ petition challenging Sathumurai festival at Devarajaswamy Temple in Kancheepuram.

The Madras High Court has dismissed a writ petition filed by a devotee, belonging to the Tenkalai sect of Vaishhavites, of the Devarajaswamy Temple in Kancheepuram questioning the Sathumurai festival performed to Sri Thatha Desigan at the temple by the Thathachariyars.

Justice S.M. Subramaniam dismissed the writ petition pending since 2012 and refused to interfere with an order passed by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Commissioner on November 23, 2011 for continuation of the Sathumurai for Sri Thatha Desigan.

The petitioner T.A. Ranganathan had contended that the decision taken by the HR&CE Commissioner was not in consonance with the 1942 proceedings of the then Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Board and a subsequent court decree passed in a 1946 appeal suit.

On the other hand, Sri Thatha Desiga Thiruvamsathar Sabha argued that the petitioner had misinterpreted the 1942 proceedings of the HR&CE Board. The Sabha pointed out that Sri Thatha Desigan’s name does not find place at all in the list of Alwars and Achariars mentioned in those proceedings.

After hearing both sides, the judge wrote that Thatha Desigan, the ancestor of Thathachariars, was a royal priest in the court of Vijayanagar and a great devotee to whom the temple owes much. The Sathumurai for him was performed for a single day on Karthigai Anusham to celebrate his birthday.

The Sathumurai had begun in 1855 with a new bronze idol of Thatha Desigan. However, since it was objected to by others, that practice was stopped. Unlike other Alwars and Acharyas, at present, there was no Utsava Vigraham for Sri Lakshmi Kumara Thatha Desigan in the temple.

Since there was no idol for him, only Lord Perumal and Thayar were taken on a procession during his Sathumurai. His idol also does not participate in the Rapathu and Pagalpathu Uthsavam when all Utsava Moorthys of Alwars and Acharyars get assembled in front of Lord Varadharajar’s sanctum sanctorum.