Tenkalai entitled to recite Prabandham at Kancheepuram Devarajaswamy Temple: Madras High Court

Key Points

1. Madras High Court ruled in favor of the Tenkalai sect in Kancheepuram regarding ceremonial worship at the Devarajaswamy Temple.
2. The dispute between the Tenkalai and Vadakalai sects has persisted for over 200 years.
3. The Tenkalai sect follows Manavala Mamunigal, while the Vadakalai sect follows Vedanta Desikan.
4. Previous court judgments in 1882, 1915, 1939, and 1970 consistently upheld the rights of the Tenkalai sect.
5. The court rejected the Vadakalai sect's argument based on fundamental rights under Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution.
6. The ruling emphasizes that freedom of religion is subject to public order and the rights of office-holders.
7. The Adhiapaka Mirasi office involves both religious duties and property rights (share in voluntary contributions).