Madras High Court asks three senior Jīyars to choose a pontiff for the Kallalagar temple math, vacant for about 80 years
The court left the choice entirely to the religious heads and set no deadline, asking only that the process be fast-tracked.
- The Hindu
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has asked heads of kindred institutions to choose the next pontiff of the Sri Ramanuja Jeeyar Math, traditionally linked to the Kallalagar temple near Madurai, The Hindu reported. A division bench of Justices G.R. Swaminathan and P. Murugan requested Thirukurungudi Jeeyar Swamy, Alwarthirunagari Jeeyar Swamy and Periya Nambigal Swamy to undertake the task.
"Since venerable religious personages have been entrusted with this onerous task, we consciously refrain from issuing any time-bound direction," the bench said. The heads may confer in person or virtually, the court said.
It hoped the temple would have a Jīyar "of eminence at the earliest". Once the choice is made, the HR&CE department is to issue formal proceedings recognising it.
The court was hearing a public interest petition by R. Sathyanarayanan of Madurai, who sought steps to fill the post. The last Jīyar was appointed in 1937 and appears to have left the scene around 1946, the court noted.
It said the long gap was no reason not to act now. According to the court, custom over several centuries made the Jīyar the highest spiritual and administrative authority of the temple.
Priests and other staff were answerable to him, and he was to be housed on the temple campus and maintained from temple funds.
Key data
Office vacant for about 80 years; last Jīyar appointed in 1937; three religious heads asked to choose; no time limit set.
Why it matters
Restoring a Jīyar to Kallalagar would revive a centuries-old Śrī Vaiṣṇava institution at one of Tamil Nadu's most loved shrines. The court's choice to leave the selection to ācāryas, not officials, respects the sampradāya's own process.
GK: did you know?
The Kallalagar temple at Alagar Koil is one of the 108 Divya Deśams praised by the Āḻvārs, and Kallalagar's entry into the Vaigai is the high point of Madurai's Chithirai festival.
