Recently, the Madras High Court, took decisive action against a temple trustee and several employees for inappropriate behavior inside the Devi Karumari Amman Temple in Tiruverkadu.

Justice M. Dhandapani directed the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Commissioner and the temple's Executive Officer to take action against trustee Valarmathi and a group of women employees. The individuals were caught recording comic videos, dancing to film songs, and miming movie dialogues inside the temple premises on Tamil New Year day.

The court issued the order in response to a writ petition filed by K. Jayaraprakash, who sought action against the trustee based on a representation submitted on August 13. The petitioner’s counsel presented the controversial videos as evidence during the hearing.

Expressing concern, Justice Dhandapani remarked that temples are places of devotion, and questioned how a trustee and temple employees could engage in such behavior, undermining the sanctity of the temple by recording comic videos in front of the deity’s portrait. The judge specifically noted that the videos included mimicry of actor Vadivelu’s comic dialogue, where he resigns from his role as a temple priest for a government job.

The Court emphasized that trustees and employees must uphold the dignity of their positions and the sanctity of the temple, and ordered disciplinary action against all involved. The HR&CE Commissioner and the Executive Officer were directed to submit an action-taken report by October 29, 2024.