Tamil given prominence at Madurai Meenakshi temple consecration, says Minister
HR&CE Minister Ramesh says 24 Oduvars from across Tamil Nadu rendered pathigams at the Madurai Meenakshi temple consecration, rejecting claims that Tamil was not given due importance.
Tamil was accorded prominence during the consecration ceremonies at the Madurai Meenakshi temple, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister Ramesh has said, dismissing allegations that the language was not given due importance during the celebrations.
The Minister said 24 Oduvars were invited from different parts of Tamil Nadu for the event, and they rendered the pathigams as part of the proceedings. He was responding to criticism that Tamil had been sidelined during the consecration.
The clarification places the focus on the role played by the Oduvars, traditional reciters of Tamil devotional hymns, in the temple rituals. By drawing attention to their participation, the Minister sought to counter the charge that the language was overlooked.
The consecration at the Madurai Meenakshi temple had drawn attention over questions of language and ritual practice, with the government facing accusations from sections that Tamil did not receive adequate space in the ceremonies. The Minister's remarks are the latest response from the state to those claims.