Residents of Thirupparankundram village have announced a peaceful hunger strike on December 13, 2025, to demand permission to light the Karthigai Deepam on the Deepathoon (lamp pillar) located at the hilltop of Thirupparankundram Hill. According to the Communemag reports, the protest followed the rejection of their petition by the local administration. Afterward, the villagers approached the Madras High Court and secured an order in their favor.
Explaining the background of the protest, a representative of the villagers stated that they had formally petitioned the government seeking permission to light the traditional lamp at the hilltop Deepathoon. After the request was denied, the villagers sought legal recourse. “Based on the rejection of our petition, we approached the High Court and obtained an order. Despite this, our demand has not been addressed,” he said.
The hunger strike, he clarified, will be undertaken on behalf of the village families and will involve the general public, regardless of caste, religion, or political affiliation. “Tomorrow, on the 13th, the people of Thirupparankundram village, without caste discrimination, religious division, or party alignment, will observe a hunger strike. We appeal to all residents of the town and surrounding villages to participate,” he said.
He added that villagers from neighboring areas have expressed full support for the protest. “This is a people’s movement. All villages around Thirupparankundram have said they will participate fully,” he said.
The organizers also stressed that the protest would be conducted strictly in accordance with judicial directions. “The High Court has imposed certain conditions. We have consciously planned the gathering to ensure that it remains within the limits set by the court and does not violate any directive,” the representative said.
Highlighting the role of women, he noted that women would be at the forefront of the protest. “Women will definitely participate. In fact, women will lead this protest,” he said.
Reiterating the central demand, he stated, “Our primary and sole demand is that the Karthigai Deepam must be lit at the Deepathoon on the hilltop. That is what our ancestors followed, and that is what we are asking for.”
Lighting a deepam at Uchchi Pillayar Temple is a recent practice!
The villagers also alleged that false narratives are being deliberately circulated on social media to distort the issue. “A wrong claim is being spread that Karthigai Deepam has been lit at the Uchchi Pillaiyar Temple for more than 100 years. As far as we know, this practice is not even 20 years old,” he said.
According to the villagers, the lighting of the lamp at the Uchchi Pillaiyar Temple was introduced only as a diversionary tactic. “For nearly 60 years, there have been continuous movements demanding that the Deepam be lit at the Deepathoon on the hilltop. To divert attention from this long-standing struggle, the practice of lighting the lamp at the Uchchi Pillaiyar Temple was introduced,” he alleged.
Questioning the religious propriety of the practice, the representative explained that the Uchchi Pillaiyar Temple is traditionally associated with the Moksha Deepam, not the Karthigai Deepam. “In our customs, if there is a death in a household, lamps are not lit during the Karthigai month. How, then, is it appropriate to light Karthigai Deepam at a place where the Moksha Deepam, associated with death rites, is lit daily?” he asked.
Addressing why the issue has intensified now, he said that the villagers had tolerated what they viewed as violations of tradition for years. “Earlier, traditions were violated, and we remained silent. Movements were fighting, but the general public did not intervene. Now, laws themselves are being violated. When the law and sovereignty are ignored, we are compelled to question it,” he said.
He also noted that Moksha Deepam is lit at that spot frequently, sometimes almost every alternate day, reinforcing its ritual association.
Reiterating the villagers’ position, he concluded, “Lighting Karthigai Deepam at the Uchchi Pillaiyar Temple is a recent practice, not one that dates back a hundred years. What has traditionally been lit there is only the Moksha Deepam.”
Stating that the protest is a response to continued non-compliance with legal and traditional norms, he said, “Despite this struggle continuing for many days, the authorities have failed to respect the law. Therefore, tomorrow, without caste or religious distinctions and without political affiliations, the people of Thirupparankundram will undertake a hunger strike demanding that the Karthigai Deepam be lit at the Deepathoon on the hilltop.”
