Archakas: HC stays order against posting two non-brahmins

Madurai: The Madras high court on Friday stayed the order passed by a single bench which set aside the appointment of two non-brahmins as archakas at the Subramaniya Swamy temple in Kumaravayalur in Trichy district.A division bench of justice S S Sundar and justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy stayed the order while hearing appeals preferred by the state government.It maybe recalled that in March, the single bench observed that the temple was governed by Kamika Agama, whereas the appointment of S Prabu and S Jayabalan was not as per the temple’s agama rules. The direct implication is that only adi saivars / sivachariyars / gurukkals who have gained knowledge in the agamas alone are eligible and qualified to be appointed as archakas for the said temple, said the single bench and set aside their appointments as archakas.The single bench was hearing the petitions filed by K Karthick and S Parameswaran challenging the proceedings issued by the fit person appointing Prabu and Jayabalan as archakas.