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 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.
“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. The 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.
