Justice N. Anand Venkatesh appeals for peace between Tenkalai and Vadakalai sects through a poetic verdict. He urges both groups to set aside differences and unite in devotion to Lord Venkateswara.
Chennai: Today, on June 17, in a heartfelt judgment, Justice N. Anand Venkatesh of the Madras High Court has called upon the Tenkalai and Vadakalai sects of Vaishnavism to end their centuries-old differences and come together in unity.
Through a beautifully worded poem, the judge appealed to both sects to walk in peace and harmony, keeping their faith in Lord Venkateswara above all else.
This came while dismissing a writ petition filed by two individuals — T.A.P. Srirangachari and K.B. Srinivasan — who belong to the Tenkalai sect. The petition was filed against the Executive Officer (EO) of the Vilakoli Perumal Sri Vedantha Desikar Temple in Kancheepuram.
The EO had passed an order on May 28, 2024, which the petitioners alleged was against their religious rights.
According to them, the EO had stopped the Tenkalai sect from reciting their traditional hymns — “Tengalaimantram” and “Tengalaivazhithirunamam” — that are sung in praise of their Acharya, Manavala Mamuni, even during temple processions that take place outside the temple premises.
The petitioners brought to the court’s notice that this was not a new conflict. They said the legal fight over the recitation of hymns had started back in 1811.
They referred to a judgment passed by the Conjeevaram (Kancheepuram) district munsif court in their favour on May 15, 1915, which was later confirmed by the Madras High Court on July 18, 1918.
On the other side, the EO argued that the Tenkalai sect had stopped reciting their hymns inside the temple for several decades and that the Vadakalai sect had been consistently performing the temple rituals, including the recitation of the “Divyaprabandam” and other hymns, for more than fifty years now.
The EO further pointed out that a similar writ petition filed by the Tenkalai sect in 2006 had already been dismissed by a single judge in 2014. This decision was later upheld by a Division Bench of the High Court in 2024, and finally by the Supreme Court as well.
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Taking into account all the facts, Justice Venkatesh ruled that the petitioners could not seek to enforce a civil court decree through a writ petition.
He made it clear that the proper legal way to enforce such a decree would be to file an execution petition in the competent civil court.
In this context, the judge made a strong observation, saying:
“The writ petitioners could not seek to enforce a civil court decree by way of a writ petition.”
He also remarked that:
“The officer should not be dragged to the police station on charges of failing to enforce the civil court decree.”
The court reminded the petitioners that the police could not interfere in matters that are purely civil in nature.
They were only empowered to act if there was a law and order issue or a threat to public peace.
As the judge rightly pointed out:
“Police could not interfere in civil disputes… they could interfere only if there was breach of peace.”
Justice Venkatesh suggested a peaceful way forward and invited the Tenkalai sect to consider joining the Vadakalai sect in reciting the “Divyaprabandam” alone during temple processions.
He said:
“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.”
But he also noted that if the Tenkalai devotees wished to continue reciting their specific hymns in praise of their Acharya, they must follow the correct legal procedure.
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“However, if they insist on reciting hymns in praise of their Acharya too, then the remedy would only be an execution petition.”
Ending the verdict on a poetic note, Justice Venkatesh shared a verse encouraging unity and peace among the two sects:
“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.”
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