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Travel expo in Madurai to conclude on December 14
Madurai Market heralds Christmas spirit
Rajinikanth's Pic Used In Karthigai Deepam Strike, His Team Distances Itself
A poster featuring a picture of superstar Rajinikanth, along with a message put up at the hunger strike venue at Thiruparankundram in Tamil Nadu's Madurai district, has stirred fresh controversy in the Karthigai Deepam row.
Motion to impeach Justice Swaminathan an attempt to destabilise judiciary: HC advocates
It was a high-handed application of one of the most extraordinary provisions of the Constitution, said designated senior advocates and advocates practising before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court
Roundabout gives big relief to road users at Aavin junction in Madurai city
How a Madurai Ritual Pushed India Into a JudiciaryPolitics Collision
If impeachment becomes a tool for punishing judicial reasoning, it threatens to chill judicial courage.
Something is wrong: SC questions Madras High Court over Karur stampede case
The Supreme Court has sought a reply from the Madras High Court on the rules being followed in listing and hearing cases, observing that something wrong appears to be happening there, NDTV reported. A bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi made the observation while hearing the Karur stampede case, taking note of a report submitted by the Registrar General of the Madras High Court. The notice also made the Registrar of the Madras High Court a party to the case linked to Actor Vijays Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party. Justice Maheshwari remarked, Something wrong is happening in the High Court. We need to see the report says that this remark came as the top court flagged impropriety in the Chennai benchs earlier order. The controversy arose while the Supreme Court was hearing TVKs petition challenging the Madras High Courts direction for a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe. NDTV's report noted that the top court said the petition was only seeking guidelines for holding roadshows, and the SIT order conflicted with a prior Madurai bench order refusing a CBI probe. The Karur stampede, which occurred during a TVK rally on September 27, left 41 dead and over 60 injured. The Tamil Nadu government has filed an application seeking the removal of the Supreme Courts stay on a single-member commission led by retired Madras High Court judge Aruna Jagadeesan, arguing that allowing the commission to function would prevent such tragedies in the future. NDTV reported that Senior Advocate NK Kaul, representing the state, said a counter affidavit has been filed and the matter needs to be heard. The Supreme Court, however, said it will first examine how cases are being handled in the Madras High Court before deciding on the commissions functioning.
'Something Wrong': Supreme Court Questions Madras HC's Handling Of Karur Stampede Case
The Supreme Court questioned how the Chennai Bench of the High Court directed the formation of an SIT comprising only State Police officers, despite Karur being in Madurai.
Export summit in Madurai on December 13
First-level checking of EVMs, VVPATs begins in Madurai
Amit Shah Criticises INDIA Bloc's Move To Impeach Madras High Court Judge
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday accused the Opposition parties of appeasement politics, criticising their move to impeach Justice GR Swaminathan of the Madras High Court's Madurai Bench.
Regional level dak adalat in Madurai on January 2
This Clip of Nirmala Sitharaman Promoting Investment Platform Is AI-Manipulated
Team WebQoof found that the original video showed Sitharaman speaking at an event in Madurai, Tamil Nadu.
107 MPs submit notice to impeach Madras HC judge
NEW DELHI/CHENNAI: As many as 107 INDIA bloc MPs, led by DMK, submitted a notice to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday, seeking impeachment of Madras High Court judge G R Swaminathan for his order of December 1 and 3 directing Subramaniya Swamy temple authorities at Thirupparankundram to allow lighting lamps on a pillar (deepathoon) near a dargah on the hill. The impeachment notice accused Justice G R Swaminathan of the Madurai bench of Madras HC of conduct that raises serious questions regarding impartiality, transparency, and the secular functioning of the judiciary. It alleged undue favouritism towards senior advocate M Sricharan Ranganathan and lawyers from a particular community, besides deciding cases on particular political ideology against the constitutional principle of secularism. Copies of the notice were also sent to President Droupadi Murmu and CJI Sanjiv Khanna. The delegation included Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Akhilesh Yadav, T R Baalu, Kanimozhi, Supriya Sule and others. On December 3, Justice Swaminathan had allowed a group of petitioners to light the lamp on the pillar near the dargah, and directed CISF protection to them. Police stopped the group from lighting the lamp, leading to a furore, prompting the Tamil Nadu government to move the Supreme Court, which admitted TNs plea.
In Madurai Temple Lamp Row, Court Summons Tamil Nadu Top Official, Cop
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday directed Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary and Additional Director-General of Police (Law and Order) to appear before the court through video conference on December 17 in the temple lamp case.
Ahead of Assembly elections, BEL engineers to carry our maintenance of EVMs in Madurai
Coimbatore Metro proposal returned due to low average trip length, says Union minister
The State government had taken up metro rail for Madurai and Coimbatore as a single project, and the combined DPR was submitted to the Centre in 2024
Sangh stirring communal tensions in TN: Left parties on Thiruparankundram row
NEW DELHI: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other organisations are stirring communal tensions in Tamil Nadu by manufacturing a controversy around the religious sites situated on Thiruparankundram Hill in Madurai district, alleged a coalition of Left parties in a statement issued on Tuesday. The joint statement issued by the Communist Party of India (CPI), CPI-Marxist (CPM), CPI-Marxist-Leninist (CPML)-Liberation, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and All India Forward Bloc (AIFB), said that they condemn the attempts by the BJP and other Hindutva forces to whip up communal tensions in Tamil Nadu, with a sinister eye on political gain. The Left combine further stated that Thiruparankundram Hill is home to three temples, a dargah, and several ancient Jain caves and for centuries, this hill has stood as a symbol of communal harmony and peaceful coexistence. However, seeking to extract political benefit in Tamil Nadu, BJP leaders, in February this year, labelled the site as the Ayodhya of the South, brought in people from outside, and attempted to provoke an incident. They also used social media to vitiate the atmosphere and sow discord, read the statement jointly signed by the general secretaries of five parties. The signatories are MA Baby (CPM), D Raja (CPI), Dipankar Bhattacharya (CPIML-Liberation), Manoj Bhattacharya (RSP) and G Devarajan (AIFB). Thiruparankundram row: CPI(M) to approach CJI against Justice Swaminathan In December, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court -- while hearing a petition on the issue-- has unfortunately ignored earlier court rulings, historical records and the Places of Worship Act, 1991, the parties also added. By allowing the petitioner to light the Karthigai Deepam atop a British-era survey pillar adjacent to the Sikandar Badusha Dargah, the court has provided a handle to communal forces, the statement said. The single-judge bench, overruling the objections of the state government, and the temple administration even permitted the petitioner to seek CISF protection for this act. These pronouncements not only disregard past judgements but also undermine the federal spirit of the Constitution by bypassing the State Governments authority on matters of law and order, the statement further said. Thiruparankundram row: Madras HC directs Chief Secretary, ADGP L&O to appear at next hearing TNIE reported that several caste-based and Hindu religious outfits on Monday submitted a petition to Collector KJ Praveen Kumar, urging him to implement the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Courts order permitting the lighting of Karthigai Deepam atop the Thiruparankundram hill. They also appealed for necessary arrangements to be made so that the ritual can be carried out in accordance with the courts directive. The Left parties commend the people of Madurai and Tamil Nadu for standing in harmony against communal hate politics and for upholding the pluralistic traditions of the state by refusing to join the protests orchestrated by communal elements. The approach of the DMK government in the state, in handling this issue firmly, has been exemplary. It must be criticised that parties like the AIADMK are supporting the communal elements in this regard, read the statement. The parties also condemned the targeting of Madurai MP Su. Venkatesan and the death threats issued by Hindutva groups. Further, the Left parties called upon all democratic and secular-minded people of India to firmly reject the communal politics of the Sangh Parivar, which seeks to divert public attention from the Modi Governments ongoing assault on peoples livelihoods and constitutional rights.
Thiruparankundram row: Madras HC directs Chief Secretary, ADGP L&O to appear at next hearing
MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on Tuesday directed the Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary and Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) to appear before the court through video conference at the next hearing of the Thiruparankundram Karthigai Deepam row on December 17. Justice GR Swaminathan further issued statutory notice to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Madurai South) AG Inigo Divyan who reportedly stopped the petitioners from enforcing the order during the second day on December 4. At the request of the petitioners, the judge also impleaded Union Home Secretary in the case and issued notice to him, adding that based on the response of the chief secretary and ADGP, he may seek inputs from the Union Home Secretary. During the hearing, the senior counsels representing the state sought an adjournment by informing that the appeals against the main order are going to be heard by the division bench on Friday. Amid strong objections from the petitioners counsels to the said request, the judge pointed out that the petition was adjourned during the last hearing on December 5 for two reasons: the appeals filed by the state had been listed for hearing, and the state had informed that it has filed a Special Leave Petition before the Supreme Court challenging the dismissal of the Letters Patent Appeal (LPA) filed by it against an interim order passed in the above contempt petition on December 3. However, both reasons no longer hold good since the state has obtained any interim order in the appeals and the SLP was filed in a defective manner and is yet to be numbered, the judge observed. He also noted the submission of the senior counsel representing the city police commissioner that the state may even withdraw the SLP in view of the fact that the appeals were going to be heard on Friday and they do not want to raise the same issue on different fora. Moreover, the division bench, by dismissing the LPA, had confirmed the order passed by him for enforcing the main order, the judge cited and said, In these circumstances, pendency of the writ appeals without there being any interim order, cannot by itself operate as a stay. Upheld temple practices in Thiruparankundram: Minister S Regupathy He further recalled two more instances where the state machinery had failed to comply with his order in similar issues. The first one pertained to the states non-compliance of his order dated November 26 directing reinstallation of a Murugan statue which was removed from a hill in Kanniyakumari. The other was relating to non-lighting of Karthigai deepam on Mandu Karuppasamy temple in Perumal Kovilpatti village in Dindigul through a prohibitory order issued by the collector under 163 BNSS despite his order dated December 2. Separate contempt proceedings are pending in connection with the latter, he noted. I notice a definite pattern. I am certain that officials at the District Level would not dare to so brazenly defy the orders of this Court. Let me remind the officials concerned that their duty is to enforce the law and not go by dictates that are often issued orally. While the order of any administrative superior has to be complied with, this obligation does not extend to illegal orders, the judge said. I am not here to throw up my hands and helplessly cry O Father, Forgive Them, for they do not know what they are doing, he further observed and directed the chief secretary and ADGP to clarify their position in the matter.
T.N. BJP condemns Oppositions bid to move impeachment motion against Justice Swaminathan
Justice Swaminathan had ordered the lighting of a lamp at the deepathoon (pillar) located near a dargah atop the Thirupparankundram hill in Madurai
Stalin: It was in Madurai that Kannagi questioned king over flawed judgment
CM dedicates Mullaperiyar drinking water project to residents of Madurai city
Stalin inaugurates Melamadai flyover in Madurai
Book chronicling life of Sourashtras released in Madurai
CM lauds Ministers for their contributions to Madurais development
New office-bearers for Young Indians Madurai Chapter-2026 installed
T.N. Rising Summit in Madurai sees 91 MoUs, Stalin says focus is on uniform development
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin said his government has taken several initiatives to bring the southern region on par with other regions in terms of industrial progress
DMK faces off with BJP in LS on Deepam row
NEW DELHI: Even as the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court on Friday said it would hear all appeals in the Thiruparankundram Karthigai Deepam case on December 12, the issue triggered an acrimonious exchange between BJP and DMK members in the Lok Sabha. The ruckus began during the Zero Hour after senior DMK leader TR Baalu raised concerns over the verdict by the high court. The HC judge had allowed petitioners to light the lamp on a stone pillar, Deepathoon, on the Thiruparankundram hill against the century-old custom followed by Tamil Nadus HR&CE department. The state government had defied the December 1 order of Justice GR Swaminathan, apprehending communal tensions in the state. The SC on Friday agreed to hear the states appeal challenging the HCs order. Raising the issue in the Lok Sabha, Baalu accused the BJP of trying to ignite communal tension in Tamil Nadu and claimed that the judge belongs to a particular ideology. Who should light the deepam on the hill? Whether the Hindu Religious Endowment Board representative or some miscreants who have got a judgment from a Madras HC judge? he asked. Taking exception to Baalus reference to the judges ideology, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the DMK leader cannot cast aspersions on the judiciary and urged the chair to expunge the remarks. In the history of our Parliamentary democracy, we have upheld the discipline of avoiding disparaging remarks, Rijiju said. Thiruparankundram Karthigai Deepam row: Madras HC to hear appeals on December 12 TN targeting a particular community: Union minister We are not opposed to what he wants to express, but he cannot use unparliamentary language. This will lead to unnecessary trouble not only for you, but for your party as well, Rijiju added. While Krishna Prasad Tenneti, who was in the chair, allowed Union Minister L Murugan from the treasury benches to intervene and reply, opposition members rose in protest against the decision. Murugan accused the state government of denying devotees the right to worship at the Arulmighu Subramaniya Swamy Temple. The state government is targeting a particular community and law and order of that region is being vitiated, he alleged. He claimed TN police had arrested devotees, who were proceeding to the temple to light the deepam as per the HC orders. The TN BJP president too has been arrested, he said. As he was speaking, some DMK members walked up to Rijijus seat, prompting the chair to ask the protesting members to confine themselves to the Well. Although the chair said Baalus remark would be removed from the record, the latter argued that the judge had himself acknowledged an association with the organisation. SC to consider TNs plea against HC order on lamp lighting at Thiruparankundram DMKs parliamentary party leader Kanimozhi, who spoke to the media later, condemned Rijiju for the intimidating tone he had used against Baalu. Blaming Murugan for providing false information on the issue during the Zero Hour, she said unnecessary problems were being created by the BJP in Thiruparankundram to infuse communal hatred among the people when people have offered prayers at the temple in the hill in harmony for long. She said that manufacturing such issues will not help the BJP since the Tamil people know who is working in their interests and who is creating differences. Meanwhile, normalcy began to return to Thiruparankundram on Friday even as heavy police deployment continued across the foothills and the hilltop, restricting access to the summit. Police are expected to continue high-alert deployment until clarity emerges on the issue.
Indigo crisis: cancellations leave passengers high and Dry
CHENNAI: Hundreds of passengers were left stranded at Chennai International Airport on Friday after IndiGo cancelled all its flights departing from the T1 terminal, triggering confusion, frayed tempers and soaring travel costs. Crowds, many sleepless, hungry and dehydrated, gathered outside IndiGos counters. According to officials, all services to Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Hyderabad scheduled before 6 pm were cancelled. With seats scarce on other carriers, fares surged dramatically, in some cases more than fivefold, leaving many stranded both physically and financially. The prices are astronomical between Rs 35,000 and Rs 50,000 for a ticket to Mumbai, said Prabhans, a traveller from Delhi who had flown to Chennai for a US visa interview. Travelling without luggage as per consulate rules, he found his return flight cancelled. I tried to book other airlines, but dynamic pricing pushed fares beyond Rs 35,000, he added. Fares on competing carriers climbed steadily. A SpiceJet ticket to Mumbai crossed Rs 50,000, while Bengaluru-bound trips touched Rs 25,000. Hyderabad-bound fares approached Rs 50,000. Several airline counters were closed early, displaying full signs. For some, the disruption had more severe consequences. Acharya (70), travelling with his family, lost his flight to Bengaluru, and missed his connecting Qantas service to Sydney. Now we have to wait four days before we can even think of travelling, he said. Nearby, Shirundu Mazumdar and his wife, Seema, sat huddled against a wall after a medical trip to Chennai. Their flight to Bagdogra was cancelled after their bags had been checked in. We left home at 6 am and only found out here. There are no arrangements, not even water, Seema said. Among those affected was Reeta Kumari (55) from Varanasi, returning from a pilgrimage to Madurai. She discovered her onward flights to Bengaluru and Varanasi had been cancelled only after landing. A group of 50 students from a Hyderabad on a field trip to Puducherry sat on the floor under the supervision of a teacher. We were not informed that the flight was cancelled, their teacher said. (With inputs from B Anbuselvan @ Chennai)
Stalin says people of Madurai want development projects
SC to Consider TNs Plea Against HC Nod for Karthigai Deepam Lamp
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday upheld a single-judge order allowing devotees to light the lamp at the Deepathoon
International documentary and short film festival in Madurai
DMK is resorting to minority appeasement, says BJP leader Annamalai
He criticises the government for defying the orders of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court that allowed 10 persons to climb the Thirupparankundram hill and light the lamp on dheepathoon
DMK, BJP Members Face-Off in LS Over 'Karthigai Deepam' at Madurai Temple
DMK members stormed the Well of the Lok Sabha and tried to raise the issue of the lighting of the 'Karthigai Deepam' at the stone lamp pillar on the Tirrupparankundram hillock near Madurai
DMK, BJP members face-off in Lok Sabha over 'Karthigai Deepam' at Thirupparankundram temple
DMK members stormed the Well of the Lok Sabha and tried to raise the issue of the lighting of the Karthigai Deepam at the stone lamp pillar on the Thirupparankundram hillock near Madurai
Lok Sabha Chaos: DMK, BJP clash over Karthigai Deepam lighting at Madurai temple
Lok Sabha witnessed a heated exchange over the lighting of a traditional lamp at a hilltop temple near Madurai. DMK accused BJP of inciting communal tensions, while Union Minister L Murugan criticized the Tamil Nadu government for denying worship rights.
People of Madurai want development politics, not other kinds of politics: T.N. CM Stalin
In light of the Tirpparankundram row in Madurai, the CM asked in a social media post whether the city needed development politics or some other kind of politics
Ops floundering, AAI may hand over air courier service to private players
TRICHY: As the long-pending demand for launching an Air Courier Service at Tiruchy International Airport has continued for more than a decade due to various operational hurdles, airport authorities have now proposed an 'Own and Operate' model, seeking private operators to take over the facility. Although the airport has invested several lakhs in setting up equipment and allocating dedicated space, the facility has remained idle for nearly two years, with no business enquiries from any leading courier companies. To revive the initiative, Tiruchy airport authorities have sent a proposal to AAI Cargo Logistics and Allied Services Company Limited (AAICLAS), recommending that a reputed private operator be roped in under the 'Own and Operate' model to kick-start courier services. The courier demand emerged soon after the old passenger terminal was converted into a cargo terminal and began operations on November 21, 2011, leading to a steady rise in cargo volume. Encouraged by this growth, stakeholders pushed for dedicated air courier services. Acting on a request from AAI, the Union Finance Ministry notified Tiruchy Airport for courier import and export operations on July 12, 2013. However, the implementation faced major delays. According to SA Sayeed, president of the Express Courier Operators Association delayed issuing the necessary notification despite the ministry's approval. The association then approached the Madurai Bench of the Madras HC, which directed customs to release the notification. Following the order, customs compliance came through, enabling the airport to proceed with infrastructure creation in 2022. Subsequently, the airport authorities installed required systems at a cost of Rs 40 lakh in the old terminal adjacent to the cargo wing. Yet, the service could not roll out because customs did not deploy staff for the courier facility, leaving it unused for the past two years. Cargo officials have not taken proactive steps, stating that the recurring expenses are significantly higher than the revenue generated, Sayeed alleged, adding that he has written to Tiruchy MP Durai Vaiko seeking intervention to ensure staff allocation from both customs and cargo departments. Airport sources, however, stated that the facility functioned for the initial months during 2023 but saw no enquiries from courier operators or exporters. Airport Director SS Raju has now accelerated efforts to launch the service, acknowledging that the delay has caused prolonged dissatisfaction among stakeholders. He stated that only large-scale courier companies-such as DHL and Blue Dart-have the financial strength and network to sustain operations. Involving top private players will help attract customers and ensure steady utilisation. A proposal has thus been sent to AAICLAS seeking approval to engage private players capable of operating through a wider global network, he added. Once operational, the air courier services will include- Lifesaving medical supplies can be transported swiftly during emergencies People can send and receive well-packed food items or gift articles on special occasions Essential household items below 10 kg can be transported easily Except for gold, currency notes, and banned drugs, most commodities within permissible weight limits can be shipped
Constitutional Crisis: Are Court Orders And Hindu Rights Now Optional In Tamil Nadu?
Yesterday was a sad day for Hindus in Tamil Nadu, and for the rule of law. In two separate matters at the hoary Thiruparankundram on the outskirts of Madurai and the Mandu Kovil site at Perumal Kovilpatti in Dindigul, the Madras High Court (Madurai Bench) unambiguously allowed Hindus to light the Karthigai Deepam lamp. In Continue reading Constitutional Crisis: Are Court Orders And Hindu Rights Now Optional In Tamil Nadu? The post Constitutional Crisis: Are Court Orders And Hindu Rights Now Optional In Tamil Nadu? appeared first on OurVoice | WeRIndia - Analysis & Opinion .
Created almost 90 years ago, kari dosa bridges generations through spice and nostalgia. We trace the origin of Madurais signature dish
Enduring symbol of a lasting bond between great music and fine food
Madurai ManiIyerlived in a house for 10 years inMayiladuthuraiafter leaving Madras in 1939following the evacuation during the Second World War. After returning to Madras in 1955, he sold the house toAgoramIyer, a celebrated cook, rejecting a higher bid
NEW DELHI: The Tamil Nadu government on Thursday filed an appeal in the Supreme Court challenging the Madras High Court's order quashing the prohibitory order issued by the Madurai District Collector in the Thiruparankundram region. The prohibitory order had been issued following clashes that erupted during the implementation of a court order passed on Wednesday, which allowed devotees to visit the temple and light lamps at the stone pillar. Tamil Nadu government sources told The New Indian Express that they will seek an urgent hearing on Friday. However, as per the Supreme Court's causelist available until 10:50 pm on Thursday, the matter is not scheduled for hearing on Friday. A lawyer connected to the case, who requested anonymity, said the issue is highly sensitive and further details could not be provided at this time. Please wait until Friday at 10:30 am, the lawyer said. Earlier on Thursday, Justice G.R. Swaminathan quashed the Tamil Nadu government order, observing that it had been issued solely to circumvent the implementation of the court directive. The High Court also directed the Commissioner of Police, Madurai City, to provide police protection to devotees lighting lamps at the Deepathoon (stone pillar) located on the lower hilltop of the Thiruparankundram hills. The Tamil Nadu government has filed the appeal in the apex court through a Special Leave Petition (SLP) against the final judgment and order dated December 4, 2025, passed by the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court. Madras HC flays government, tells petitioner to light deepam under CISF security at Thiruparankundram
'Ulterior Motive': HC Rejects Plea Against Devotees Lighting Lamps Near Thiruparankundram Dargah
Madras HC dismissed the appeal by Madurai officials, allowing Arulmighu Subramaniya Swamy Temple devotees to light Karthigai Deepam at Deepathoon atop Thiruparankundram hills.
Trouble began on Wednesday when activists from right-wing groups clashed with police after state government officials failed to light the sacred lamp at the hilltop stone lamp pillar. The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court had earlier directed that the lamp must be lit at the hilltop temple itself.
Section 144 Imposed As Clashes Erupt Over Temple Lighting At Thirupurankundram Hill In Madurai
Tension at Thirupurankundram hill in Madurai as Hindu activists clashed with police over Karthigai Deepam lighting. BJP leaders condemned DMK government actions.
The Madurai district administration clamped prohibitory orders in thetemple town of Tirupparankundramlate Wednesday evening amid protests by Hindu outfits to permit lighting of the Karthigai Deepam lamp at the dheepathoon (pillar) atop the hill, close to a dargah, as directed by Justice G R Swaminathan of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court.
Scuffle at Thiruparankundram in Madurai; prohibitory orders imposed; 2 cops injured
Cocking A Snook: Court Raps Tamil Nadu For Disobeying Temple Lamp Order
In a late-evening development today, the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court pulled up the Tamil Nadu government for wilful disobedience after the Karthigai Deepam (holy lamp) was not lit on the ancient Deepathoon pillar at Thirupparankundram.
Madurai witnesses heavy downpour in evening
Registrations open for The Hindu Deepa Kolam 2025
The Karthigai Dheepam special contest will select the best lamp arrangements among contestants from Chennai, Madurai, Tiruchi, and Coimbatore
INTERVIEW | 1 extra week not enough, BLOs scramble to meet deadline
They want to remove people who they believe will not vote for them, DMK MP Kanimozhi tells TNIE , interpreting the statement of Home Minister Amit Shah the SIR exercise is to purify electoral rolls. Excerpts: The Election Commission has extended the deadline for submitting SIR forms by a week. Is it enough? It is not sufficient. We need more time. Many people travel, and not everyone lives in their birthplace; they often return home to vote. With such short notice, they may not be able to return on time, and in states like Tamil Nadu, the administration and the government are also battling the monsoons. TN was among the first to approach the Supreme Court seeking a halt to the SIR process. Why? We are challenging the constitutionality of the entire process. This exercise effectively strips people of their voting rightsa fundamental constitutional right. Another major concern is the rushed timeline. The previous SIR exercise took more than six months. If the government were serious, it could have announced it earlier, properly trained officials, and allowed sufficient time to verify and rectify. It doesnt end with losing voting rights. This will lead to mass disenfranchisement. If people are excluded from the rolls now, will they later be treated as non-citizens? What are the consequences of that? There is also the issue of delimitation. Once rolls shrink, the number of seats allocated to states will be affected. If lakhs of names are removed from the rolls, states stand to lose even more representation. What are the concerns youre hearing from the ground in TN? There is inhuman pressure on the BLOs. Weve already seen SIR-related BLO deaths reported across states. BLOs are overworked. They have been given this additional burden without adequate time for training. Has the state government taken steps to mitigate the woes of the BLOs? We are doing everything possible, including bringing in volunteers and providing additional help, wherever necessary. There is only so much pressure we can alleviate. In many households, especially in rural areas, no one is at home during the day. Even in cities, both adults often work. Reaching people under these conditions is not easy. Another problem is that 2002 to 2004 was used as the baseline year for the voter rolls. Most people would not have those documents readily available. How can we expect everyone to produce them? Amit Shah says the SIR is to purify voter rolls and remove illegal immigrants. This is exactly what they want. They want to remove people who they believe will not vote for them, people they do not want included in their idea of this country. Anyone they consider not eligible, according to their own standards, is being targeted. In their view, this becomes another form of cleansing. But this notion of cleansing itself is deeply troubling and difficult to comprehend. TN is heading to elections shortly. Do you think the SIR process will have an impact on the results? We are being extremely vigilant. Our party leadership is on the ground, working to ensure that things proceed correctly. We have learnt lessons from the Bihar elections. Minority communities are even more vigilant, and we are trying to ensure that no one is left out. But anything happening beyond our control is outside our scope. The CJI has raised a key question: If an intruder obtains an Aadhaar card, should that person automatically be allowed to vote? How will state governments tackle such concerns? They say Aadhaar is no proof of citizenship. The EC needs additional proof. States have no say in determining citizenship, the onus lies with the MHA. The Bihar election went ahead though the SC was still hearing the SIR case. So, apart from pursuing legal remedies, what other avenues are you mulling? Our party leaders and cadres are on the ground as registered agents, doing everything to ensure nothing goes wrong, and no one is denied voting rights. But the onus is entirely on the EC to ensure that the process is fair and transparent. The AIADMK has gone to the SC in favour of the SIR. Will it impact the case? They are behaving like a B-team, echoing their masters voice. In this case, the master is BJP, and AIADMK is not just reflecting that voice, it is also amplifying it even louder. How do you see the SCs reply to the presidential reference on timelines for the president and governor? Is it a setback to TN and other opposition states? We have repeatedly said that the BJP uses governors as political tools. Although the President appoints the governors, they dont act as impartial constitutional authorities. Instead, they often behave like opposition leaders, creating obstacles for non-BJP governments in various states. This is something we must seriously examine. The DMK has consistently maintained that we do not need governors, and it is high time we reconsider this position. People need to understand why a governor who acts against the will of the people is unnecessary. As Chief Minister M K Stalin has clarified, the SC opinion in response to the presidential reference will not affect the April 8, 2025 verdict in the case of State of Tamil Nadu vs. Governor of Tamil Nadu. Do you think the INDIA bloc needs to be strengthened after the Bihar results? There have been many voices coming out criticising Congress. The opposition must remain strong, and it is our duty to safeguard democracy and uphold its secular character. The DMK is unequivocal in its commitment to protecting Indias secular democracy. CM Stalin wrote a letter to PM Modi expressing anguish over the rejection of the proposals for Metro Rail systems in Coimbatore and Madurai. Yes. We have similar projects in other cities, such as Agra and Patna. But in our case, they claim that there isnt enough population to justify certain measures. Both Coimbatore and Madurai have large floating populations. People come there from across the country for business, education, and to visit temples. This clearly would have warranted different considerations. Its unfair to apply two different yardsticks in this way.
Karthigai Deepam To Be Lit At Ancient Pillar In Madurai's Thirupparankundram: High Court
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has ordered that, apart from the customary lighting of the festival lamp near the Uchi Pillaiyar Temple, the Deepam must also be lit at the Deepathoon, an ancient stone lamp pillar.
Global summit of Tamil entrepreneurs and professionals to be held in Madurai in January
Trees felled at Panjapur Green Park despite Court order, allege activists
Following the order, around 297 trees were to be removed and transplanted to other locations. The civic body uprooted and relocated more than 120 native trees of neempungai, naaval, illupai, and marutham species along the service road of Tiruchi-Madurai National Highway near Mannarpuram
Inspectors posted in Madurai city
FIH Junior WC: Netherlands, Spain continue winning run
Madurai, Nov 30: World No. 4 Spain placed themselves on course for a quarterfinal spot, beating Belgium 2-0 to register their second consecutive win in a Pool D match of the FIH Junior Mens Hockey World Cup here on Sunday. Spain scored through Juan Prados (20th minute) field strike and a penalty corner conversion by []
From Jasmine to Kanakambaram: How flowers in Chennai reveal caste, class divides
As the morning light filters through the doorway of Sujathas puja room in central Chennai, she kneels before the altar, arranging fresh malli buds and tulsi leaves with practised hands. Saraswati receives the first strand, followed by Kubera, Mahalakshmi, Vinayagar, and Perumal. Each deity has its place and preference. After gods are pleased, the remnant flowers go in her own hair. She favours the white flowers. But there are flowers she will never wear. The bold orange kanakambaram, for instance, vivid against dark hair, lasting longer than the expensive whites that fade by afternoon. She has never worn it. Not once. They say some flowers suit decent girls and some make you look local, Sujatha says. If you wear white jasmine or mullai, you are seen as respectable. If you wear kanakambaram, you are labelled lower class. A lesson taught since her childhood. In another part of the city, writer Shalin Maria Lawrence wears her flowers differently. Three mozham minimum, long, fragrant, and abundant. I cannot wear just one or two mozham. I need three or more, very long. She recalls her jasmine varieties like long-lost friends. Madurai malli is one of the best, you can see the quality, completely different from other mallis. Next to that, Velankanni malli is my favourite. Its almost greenish, like moonlight. But the flowers of North Madras carry different names and different histories. Working-class women from my area preferred kanakambaram and December poo. The latter is a light violet shade available only during Margazhi. Then there was kadhambam, the cheapest option, a mixture of leftover flowers. A bit of green tulsi, malli, and kanakambaram, like the Indian flag colours. Vendors and working-class women wore it, Shalin explains. She maps the flowers onto communities. Kanakambaram is usually worn by Dalit-Bahujan-Adivasi (DBA) women. I have never seen upper-caste women wear kanakambaram; they do but mostly only for Instagram. They wont wear any flower other than malli because malli is considered pure. Shalin admits to choosing kanakambaram deliberately for the cover of her upcoming book Pombala Panchayat because it reflects DBA working-class politics. People even call kanakambaram velakaran gappu, the flower of vegetable sellers, associated with working women selling groceries on the streets. The economics of flowers is clear. Malli, for North Madras people, always denoted a higher class. Theatre artiste A Mangai confirms this reading. Flowers are not merely decorative. There is a deeper politics behind who wears what. Dominant caste people dont wear kanakambaram because they think it belongs to a lower community. My mother never let me wear too much kanakambaram, Mangai recalls. Maybe because of this social perception. Religious identities layer onto the choices too. Shalin informs, For festivals, we use lily, but lily is seen as a Christian flower, offered to St Joseph. Now my daughter likes lotus for Buddha Purnima. In North Madras, during full moon, Buddhist communities buy all the lotuses. You wont find even one. The visual language of flowers too speaks volumes according to photographer Poongodi Mathiarasu. He says, Kanakambaram is mostly worn by working-class women, often paired with a rose, creating a perfect colour wheel combination that complements the skin tone of marginalised women. Colourism also influences the choice of flowers. The formula When Shalin worked in an IT company where many employees were Brahmins, she observed a different aesthetic. Married Brahmin women wore just a tiny thundu of flowers, never long strands. They said long flowers are only for weddings. Every day, they must put a little, for god and for identity. The formula became upper-caste identity equals small, controlled, cultured flower. Long, fragrant flowers equal immoral or seductive. If I wear a lot of mallipoo with sari, some men say I look like an item. In malls, if I wear kanakambaram, people stare. They think its ugly. But its a beautiful colour! Cinema has long reinforced these codes, casting flowers especially jasmine as tokens of seduction. Film critic Ranjani Krishnakumar, who has been examining floral adornment in Tamil cinema has found this to be true in her decade-old research paper too, but now sees the narratives shifting. In the context of marriageability, she notes the shifts in recent films. Take Veera Dheera Sooran, for instance. The wedding scene places pre-marital sex (non-chaste) and remarriage (immodest) squarely within the bounds of nativity, almost casually, without special drama around it. Youll see the female lead dressed as the traditional bride, wearing copious mallipoo, even as she isnt, by traditional standards, the ideal bride. Meanwhile, Nila, of Kudumbasthan, doesnt bother with any of that no sari, no flowers at her registrar office wedding. In another class, in Vidaamuyarchi, we see Kayal wear flowers at her wedding, but she is surely modern in that shes unlikely to be caught wearing flowers outside of social situations that especially demand it. Neither would Shriya of Kadhalikka Neramillai. Ranjani observes that in each of these stories, flowers are almost incidental. It is perhaps coincidental that each of these women then go on to break the boundaries of what marriage itself is. Flowers as signals In thousands of garment factories across Tamil Nadu, flowers carry additional weight. Writers Nandita Shivakumar and Nikita Joseph have documented how women workers endure punishing shifts racing to complete targets as high as 1,000 pieces daily, but with flowers in their hair. In their research, they observed that these flowers come at minimal cost. Temple offerings, children picking blooms before school, home gardens grown in repurposed paint tins. One worker, Lakshmi from Erode, told them: The jasmine flower scent helps with the headaches from the factory chemicals and heat. Its better than medicine, and we cant afford medicine anyway. The Tamil Nadu Textile and Common Labour Union has observed another dimension, the researchers note. Union organiser Muthumari explained to them: When a woman who regularly wears flowers to the factory suddenly stops, we know to check on her. Its often a silent signal that shes facing violence at home. Mangai confirms this extends beyond factories. In rural Tamil Nadu, certain flowers have even been used as a sign of domestic abuse, placed outside the house as a signal. What remains Mangai maintains her relationship with flowers on her own terms. I love flowers. They bring joy to the moment. They may wither quickly, but they are full of life right now. When she travels outside Tamil Nadu, the teasing begins, she says. Cinema stereotypes South Indians. Jasmine in the hair becomes a caricature. But I like wearing flowers, even if people tease me for looking too Madrasi. In Delhi and Bombay, friends would laugh. But I still do wear them. Shalins therapist recently gave her specific advice: restart buying mallipoo. She recalls how her uncle, who worked at Simpsons, where gardens grew thick with flowers, would bring her malli. He would bring mallipoo for me in the evenings, she says, adding how she would then string it with the neighbourhood akkas and paatis, using banana fibre. Its a whole mindfulness process, she says. Mangai also frames it anthropologically. Anthropologically, flowers were the first human adornment. The desire to be beautiful is an evolved human idea. Shalin, meanwhile, frames it politically. Flowers are used as weapons of seduction, which affects how women are treated. But they should only be used for our individual happiness. However, people also note that flowers are fast disappearing. Last year in Nagarcoil, I bought kanakambaram, but now in Chennai, its rare. Women who used to wear it have stopped. Even their daughters dont wear it. You wont see kanakambaram in Anna Nagar or the posh areas, you only see them near temples or local streets, Shalin notes. Sujatha has also noticed this shift. Back then, mothers wore flowers proudly. Todays kids arent wearing them like the way we used to do. They only do it for special occasions. Despite flowers disappearing on many fronts, one might wonder if something as small and seemingly simple as flowers could carry the weight of caste and class. But as Shalin correctly puts it, Hierarchy is in the eyes of the people who view them.
Drunk youth hurls petrol bomb at Guindy apartment, arrested
CHENNAI: A 25-year-old man was arrested on Thursday for allegedly hurling a crude petrol bomb into an apartment complex in Guindy during the early hours of the day. The accused was identified as R Vijaya Prabhakaran of Guindy, who installs false ceilings for a living. According to police, Vijaya Prabhakaran entered the apartment premises allegedly under the influence of alcohol, carrying a liquor bottle filled with petrol and hurled it before fleeing. The bottle landed on a car belonging to Ram Nithish, an engineer from Madurai employed in the city. The Molotov cocktail exploded near the right rear-view mirror, sending flames across the sides of the vehicle. The right wheel was completely gutted in the fire, which was soon put out by security staff and residents. Following a complaint from Nithish, Guindy police examined CCTV footage and traced the suspect. Police said Vijaya Prabhakaran, who lives alone, is addicted to alcohol and drugs and had also thrown stones into the same apartment complex last Saturday. However, no complaint was lodged at that time. He was arrested, produced before a magistrate, and remanded in judicial custody.
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