Hindu devotee commits suicide after being denied permission to light the lamp at Thirupparankundram Deepthoon!

A devotee of Lord Murugan committed suicide in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai on Thursday (December 18) in protest against the state government’s denial of permission to burn Karthigai Deepam at Thirupparankundram hill. The deceased has been identified as Poorna Chandran, aged about 40, a resident of Narimedu area. He set himself on fire near the Periyar statue, dying of severe burn injuries.

According to reports, Poorna Chandran had sent a voice message to a friend before committing suicide, which was later shared with the family. In the message, he had talked about ending his life after not getting permission to light the sacred lamp at the traditional ‘Deepthoon’ on Thirupparankundram hill. In the message, he mentioned Periyar’s atheistic views and also said that he hoped that his move would make this religious ritual possible next year.

The deceased’s brother Ramadurai confirmed the message to the media, saying that Poorna Chandran used to regularly visit holy sites like Sathuragiri, but he had never hinted at such an extreme step. He left behind his wife and two small children. According to Ramadurai, Poorna Chandran had left home for work in the morning and in the evening the family received a call that he had set himself on fire. “He had sent a voice message to his friend, who in turn forwarded it to me and that’s when I came to know about it. He had reportedly said that he was going to commit suicide because he was not allowed to burn the deepam in Thirupparankundram,” the brother said.

Political reactions have also emerged after this incident. Tamil Nadu BJP president Nainar Nagendran hit out at the ruthlessness of the DMK government, saying that Poorna Chandran committed self-immolation because he was “deeply hurt by the anti-Hindu stance of the DMK government, especially the denial of permission to light the sacred Karthigai Deepam at the Deep Thoon situated on the top of Thirupparankundram hill.” He appealed to the devotees to maintain peace, exercise restraint and not take such extreme steps.

Thirupparankundram hill is one of the six sacred abodes (Aruppadai Veedu) of Lord Murugan in Madurai. At the base of the hill lies the ancient Arulmigu Subramaniam Swamy temple, while at the peak a Muslim shrine named Sikandar Badushah Dargah has been built, which according to the locals was built by captured people.

BJP leader K. Expressing his condolences, Annamalai said, “Thiru Poorna Chandran, a true devotee of Lord Muruga, deeply saddened by the anti-Hindu attitude of the DMK government, especially by not allowing the devotees to light the sacred Karthikai Deepam at the Deepa Thoon atop Tiruparankundram hill, has tragically committed suicide by immolating himself in Madurai today. I am deeply saddened by this heartbreaking news. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved family and pray that they get the strength to bear this irreparable loss.”

Hindu devotees and petitioners argue that it is a historical tradition to burn the Karthigai Deepam on the ancient Deepthoon pillar located near the Dargah. On December 1, 2025, Justice G.R. of the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court. Swaminathan had ordered the temple administration, under the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department, to light lamps at the Deepthoon apart from the usual places.

However, despite this order, the DMK government of the state did not allow lighting of lamps there and prevented Hindu devotees from reaching the site, and when Hindus protested, force was used to suppress them. The administration lit the lamp only at the Uchipillaiyar temple mandapam. The government’s argument was that this is a long-standing tradition, lighting lamps on Deepthoon can lead to law and order problems, and that the pillar is a Jain period structure (Saman Deepthoon), which has no connection with Karthigai Deepam.

The state government has also filed an appeal against the High Court order. At the hearing held on Thursday (December 18), the DMK government’s counsel strongly opposed allowing Hindus to light sacred lamps at the site.

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