Parakkum Kavadi: Give Up Self Torturing Faith Based Practices, Exhorts Madras HC

The Madurai Bench of the High Court was considering a petition challenging rejecting the usage of cranes in the milk pot, Parakkum Kavadi procession. The court was told that, one of the reasons for rejection is that, till last year they only used 3 cranes, but, this year they are going to use 5 cranes and that is one of the reasons for rejection.

The judge found this reasoning ambiguous and observed: "Why permission is denied for this year is to be justified on the basis of certain objective parameters and not on the basis of certain ambiguous terms for understanding. The only difference is in the last year, they used 3 cranes but in this year they are going to use 5 cranes. How it would affect public interest? The determination of disturbing the public interest raises curious question for which this Court does not find any materials in the impugned order."

But in this context, the judge made a call to temple authorities and function organizers to bring out a larger change. He said:

"This is also time for the organizers of the function should start thinking of giving up this kind of faith based practices. After all no God is expecting from anybody to torture his own body for atonement. What might have been relevant and consistent in ancient times need not necessarily must have contextual relevance. It does not also seem to interfere with what the pPriests in the temples do in performing poojas to the deity. The temple authorities and organizers of the function therefore should take the first step in this direction and bring about necessary awareness among those who perform 'PARAKKUM KAVADI' to bring about a larger change"

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