Verdictum
“Two Petals On One Stem, Both Seek Lord Venkateswara Perumal”: Madras High Court Appeals For Unity & Peace Between Vadakalai & Thenkalai Vaishnava Sects
The Madras High Court also noted that the division that arose during the15th Century resulted in the devotees falling under two Sects called the Thenkalai and the Vadakalai. |19 June 2025 11:30 AM Justice N. Anand Venkatesh, Madras High Court Justice N. Anand Venkatesh, Madras High Court
Calling the Vadakalai and Thenkalai sects two petals on one stem, the Madras High Court has urged for peace between both sects while considering the dispute relating to the recital of Prabhandham outside the Vilakkoli Temple.
The Petition before the High Court was filed under Article 226 of the Constitution seeking a direction to the respondents to ensure that services, customs and rituals of the Vilakkoli Temple are observed and followed by recognising the rights of the petitioners and Thenkalai devotees to recite Prabhandham by leading the procession and involving recital of only Thengalaimantram and Thengalaivazhithirunamam without any interference by anybody in all processions outside the Vilakkoli Temple.
The Single Bench of Justice N. Anand Venkatesh penned down these words,“Vadakalai and Thenkalai, two petals on one stem,
both seek Lord Venkateswara Perumal,
both belong to Him.
In the name of Acharyas, the quarrels still ignite,
yet, those wise souls now bask in the Lord’s pure light.
Their journeys ended at His lotus feet so grand, while we, their children, still draw lines in the sand.
Let us honour their path, let old divisions cease -
and walk together united in faith and peace.”
Senior Counsel P.V.Balasubramaniam represented the Petitioners while Government Advocate K. Karthikeyan represented the Respondents.
Factual Background
The Petitioners belong to the Thenkalai Sect of Shri Vaishnavites of Kanchipuram, having Adhyapaka Mirasi rights in the Vilakkoli Perumal Sri Vedhantha Desikar Thirukoil at Kanchipuram. The Vilakkoli Temple is one of the 18 Divyadesams located in and around Kanchipuram, venerated by the Vishnavites. Amongst the followers of Ramanujacharya, a division arose which resulted in the devotees falling under two Sects called the Thenkalai and the Vadakalai.
A serious dispute arose between the two Sects as to how the Prabhandhams had to be recited and should be adopted in the temples. As per an earlier judgment, the Vadakalai Sect was restrained from reciting their Mantrams and Prabhandhams by forming a separate Goshti in front of the deity or by interposing between the idol and the Vedic Goshti.
Even though the right of the Thenkalais to recite Divya Prabhandham outside the temple was recognised and allowed, and it was also conceded in the earlier proceedings, an attempt was made to stop the Thenkalais from reciting Prabhandhams even outside the temple.
This resulted in a representation made to the second respondent- Executive Officer, who, by the impugned communication, refused to permit the Thenkalais from reciting Prabhandham even outside the temple during the procession. This was put to the challenge in the present writ petition.
Reasoning
The Bench was of the view that the impugned letter of the Executive Officer that was put to challenge couldn’t be faulted by the petitioners since the second respondent had taken into consideration the repeated clashes that took place between the Thenkalais and Vadakalais during festive occasions, and the Officer did not want any breach of peace.
It was further noticed that during such occasions, the persons belonging to the Thenkalai and the Vadakalai Sects had come to blows for their fervour to establish the superiority of their respective Acharyas. Therefore, the Officer wanted to avoid such a volatile situation during an occasion which needed to be celebrated in peace.
The Bench explained that if according to the petitioners, their right to recite Prabhandham outside the temple during the procession and stop the persons belonging to the Vadakalai Sect from reciting the verses in praise of Swami Vedhantha Desikar, was recognized by the second respondent and the Sabha in the previous round of litigation, that couldn’t be a ground to file yet another writ petition before the Court to enforce the same. As per the Bench, that might have been a ground for filing a petition before the competent civil court to execute the decree.
Considering that the dispute arose in the Vilakkoli Perumal Sri Vedhantha Desikar Thirukoil at Kanchipuram, the Bench noted that the temple has been administered and managed by the devotees belonging to the Vadakalai Sect for decades together. It was further noticed that persons belonging to the Thenkalai Sect did not take any steps to exercise their right conferred on them by the decree, and hence, in the earlier order, it was held that they waived/abandoned their right.
The Bench, thus, held, “Under the given situation, if really the devotees belonging to the Thenkalai Sect want to participate in the procession in a peaceful manner, they must participate in the procession at the time of reciting Divya Prabhandham, which is common for both the Thenkalai and the Vadakalai Sects. Instead of attempting to project the respective Acharyas even above Lord Venkateshwara, which formed the basis for the dispute between both sides, at some point of time, one of the parties has to rest in abiding by the rule of law and making the entire event peaceful, which is the objective of any religion.
Finding no ground to interfere with the impugned judgment, the Bench dismissed the same.
Cause Title: Thenkalais v. The Commissioner, Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowment Department (Neutral Citation: 2025:MHC:1381)
Appearance
Petitioner: Senior Counsel P.V.Balasubramaniam, Advocate Varuni Mohan
Respondent: Government Advocate K. Karthikeyan, Advocate R. Bharanidharan, Senior Counsel G. Rajagopalan, Senior Counsel Satish Parasaran, Advocate Abhinav Parthasarathy, Senior Counsel V. Raghavachari, Advocate V. Nittilakshan, Senior Counsel T. Mohan, Advocate Palaniandavan, Senior Counsel Hema Sampath, Advocate R. Meenal, Senior Counsel T.V. Ramanujam, Advocates R. Ramya, S.J. Krishnan, N.V. Balaji
Hindu
Madras High Court judge pens poem for unity between Tenkalai and Vadakalai sects of Vaishnavites
Justice N. Anand Venkatesh says, the two sects should stop projecting their Acharyas — Manavala Mamuni and Vedanta Desikar — even above Lord Venkateswara
Published - June 17, 2025 05:10 pm IST - CHENNAI
Justice N. Anand Venkatesh. File | Photo Credit: M. Srinath
Impressing upon the need for the Tenkalai and Vadakalai sects of Vaishnavites to end the differences between them since the 15th century, Justice N. Anand Venkatesh of the Madras High Court has penned a poem calling upon them to walk together in peace.
The judge said, the sects should abide by the rule of law and celebrate temple festivals peacefully, which was the objective of any religion, instead of attempting to project their respective Acharyas — Manavala Mamuni and Vedanta Desikar — even above Lord Venkateswara.
The observations were made while dismissing a writ petition filed jointly by T.A.P. Srirangachari and K.B. Srinivasan of the Tenkalai sect against an order passed by the Executive Officer of Vilakoli Perumal Sri Vedantha Desikar Temple in Kancheepuram on May 28, 2024.
The petitioners complained that the Executive Officer had prevented the Tenkalai sect from reciting Tengalaimantram and Tengalaivazhithirunamam (hymns in praise of their Acharya - Manavala Mamuni) even during the processions taken outside the temple.
Vadakalai, Thenkalai sects face off again during Brahmotsavam of Kancheepuram Sri Varadharaja Perumal temple They said, the legal dispute regarding recitation of the hymns had begun as early as in 1811 leading to a decree passed in favour of the Tenkalai sect by the Conjeevaram (Kancheepuram) district munsif court on May 15, 1915. The decree was confirmed by the Madras High Court on July 18, 1918, they claimed.
However, the EO, on the other hand, told the court that the Tenkalai sect had given up their right to recite the hymns inside the temple for several decades and that it was only the Vadakalai who had been reciting the Divyaprabandam as well as other hymns for over five decades.
He also said that a writ petition filed by the Tenkalai sect in 2006 for recitation of the hymns inside the temple was dismissed by a single judge in 2014 and the order was confirmed by a Division Bench of the High Court in 2024. The Supreme Court too had upheld the order.
Row over chanting of hymns at Chinna Kanchipuram After recording the submissions, Justice Venkatesh said, the writ petitioners could not seek to enforce a civil court decree by way of a writ petition. He observed that the petitioners could only file an execution petition before the competent civil court for implementing of the decree.
Not finding any reason to interfere with the Executive Officer’s 2024 order, the judge said, the officer should not be dragged to the police station on charges of failing to enforce the civil court decree. Highlighting that police could not interfere in civil disputes, the judge said, they could interfere only if there was breach of peace.
The judge also said that the Tenkalai sect could think through the whole issue and join the Vadakalai sect in reciting the Divyaprabandam alone during the processions outside the temple. However, if they insist on reciting hymns in praise of their Acharya too, then the remedy would only be an execution petition.
The judge concluded his verdict with the poem: “Vadakalai and Thenkalai, two petals on one stem, both seek Lord Venkateswara Perumal, both belong to Him. In the name of Acharyas, the quarrels still ignite, yet, those wise souls now bask in the Lord’s pure light. Their journeys ended at His lotus feet so grand, while we, their children, still draw lines in the sand. Let us honour their path, let old divisions cease - and walk together united in faith and peace.”
Published - June 17, 2025 05:10 pm IST
Related Topics religion and belief / judge / judiciary (system of justice) / Tamil Nadu