On finding that the new location was only 137-metre away from the forest boundary, the judges requested the temple authorities to reconsider the new location. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
The Madras High Court has requested the Marudhamalai Subramaniaswamy Temple administration to reconsider the location where a 184-feet tall statue of Lord Murugan had been proposed. It has asked the authorities to take into account the stress that could be caused on the ecology due to its proximity to the reserve forests in Coimbatore district.
A special Division Bench of Justices N. Sathish Kumar and D. Bharatha Chakravarthy, hearing forest related cases, took note that the temple management had initially planned to install the huge statue on the foothills of the western ghats but changed the plan after finding that area fell inside an elephant corridor. Now, the statue had been proposed at a new location.
However, on finding that the new location was only 137-metre away from the forest boundary, the judges requested the temple authorities to reconsider the new location too since huge number of devotees were expected to visit after its installation and such a surge in the crowd would require creation of infrastructure facilities such as resting shelters and toilet complexes.
Further, stressing on the need to implement strong solid waste management practices in order to protect the environment, the Division Bench said, if necessary, the court would consider ordering an inspection of the spot by appropriate experts as well as the amici curiae T. Mohan, Chevanan Mohan, Rahul Balaji and M. Santhanaraman after further hearing of the matter next month.
The judges said, Marudhamalai was considered the seventh most important abode of Lord Murugan after the Arupadai Veedu (six abodes) and it gains significance not only for the great faith and reverence to the Lord but also because of the several Siddhars (saints) who lived in the hills in service of the faith. The aura and location of the temple, it was believed, had a healing atmosphere.
They also took note that Marudhamalai was named after the Marudham trees known for their medicinal value and that the entire hills were filled with several medicinal herbs. “It is part of the elephant corridor and one can normally sight elephant movements along the corridor and many of them are living there as their habitat and a number of other wildlife also live there,” the judge wrote.
“Thus, any development or structure that is planned should bear in mind the value of the faith and the sacrosanct purpose of visiting the temple where the faith converges with ecology and nature… The above should be kept as the core guiding value while the decision is being taken. Let further status report be filed in this regard by the temple on December 5,” the Bench concluded.
Published – November 17, 2025 09:09 pm IST
