Madras High Court judge pens poem for unity between Tenkalai and Vadakalai sects of Vaishnavites

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 15^th 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.

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.

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