Madras high court says non-Hindus must affirm faith to enter Agamic temples

The Madras High Court has said that non-Hindus cannot enter ‘Agamic’ temples in Tamil Nadu without affirming their reverence for the presiding deity and giving an undertaking agreeing to follow the customs and practices of the temple.The court was hearing a PIL by Madurai resident Thangam Venkatesh seeking restrictions on non-Hindus entering temple mandapams. (HT)In an order passed on October 30, a bench of Justices GR Swaminathan and P Murugan said that non-Hindus who fail to furnish such an undertaking affirming their reverence for the temple’s deity cannot enter the temple.“If any Non-Hindu claims to visit particular deity in the temple, then the respondents shall obtain undertaking from the said Non-Hindu that he is having faith in the deity and he would follow the customs and practices of Hindu religion and also abide by the Temple customs and on such undertaking the said Non-Hindu may be allowed to visit the temple,” the court said.Also read: Vijay wasn’t asked to convert to Hinduism, only affirm faith in deity: Madras HCThe high court took exception to what it described as “Chamchagiri” and “optics” surrounding temple entry, observing that temple customs and usages could not be made to yield to such considerations.“We hold that usages and customs of the temple cannot kneel down before such display of Chamchagiri and optics,” it said, adding that the issue required an “authoritative pronouncement.”“That is why, we deem it necessary to render an authoritative pronouncement,” it said.The court was hearing a PIL by Thangam Venkatesh of Madurai, seeking directions to prevent non-Hindus from entering temple mandapams and proceeding beyond the flagstaff, and to ensure strict enforcement of existing temple-entry rules.