'Not Getting Into How To Break Coconuts': Supreme Court On Puja Plea

Day-to-day temple customs are not something that constitutional courts can get into, the Supreme Court underlined today in a plea alleging irregularities in puja rituals at the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara near Tirupati.

"How can courts intervene about how to break a coconut? How to conduct aarti? Temple customs are established practices, not the kind of issues courts can get into," said Chief Justice Of India NV Ramana.

"Only if there are administration issues like discrimination or not allowing darshan, can the courts intervene," the Chief Justice said and directed the temple administration to answer the petitioner within eight weeks if there are any such issues.

Tirupathi Thirumala Devasthanam (TTD), which looks after the administration of the temple, had earlier filed an affidavit in the top court stating that perfect checks and balances have been introduced by His Holiness Ramanujacharya to ensure that sevas/utsavams are conducted strictly in accordance with Vaikhanasa Agama.

It further submitted that the rituals are performed with utmost sincerity, faith and devotion by the religious staff and other priests of the temple.

Petitioner Srivari Dadaa had argued that the issue concerned fundamental rights.

At a previous hearing in September, the Chief Justice counselled the petitioner that as Lord Balaji's devotee he ought to show more patience.

"You are a Lord Balaji devotee. Balaji devotees have patience. You have no patience," Chief Justice Ramana had said.

The top judge had also pointed out that his family too was a Balaji devotee.

"Me, my brother, my sister, we are all Balaji devotees," Chief Justice Ramana said then.