Madras High Court Seeks Appointment of New Pontiff for Kallalagar Temple

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has tasked the heads of three religious institutions with selecting a new Jeeyar for the Kallalagar Temple math. The position has remained vacant since the last pontiff disappeared around 1946.

Justices G.R. Swaminathan and P. Murugan requested the Thirukurungudi Jeeyar Swamy, Alwarthirunagari Jeeyar Swamy, and Periya Nambigal Swamy to coordinate the selection. The court did not impose a strict timeline, expressing confidence that these religious leaders would expedite the process.

Once the selection is finalized, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department will formally recognize the new appointee. The court emphasized that the Jeeyar traditionally functions as the temple's top administrative and spiritual leader, to whom all other staff members report.

The court's decision follows a public interest litigation filed by a local resident seeking to fill the long-vacant post. The bench noted that the absence of a pontiff for eight decades does not justify abandoning the centuries-old custom of maintaining a Jeeyar on the temple campus.