Ilaiyaraja, the legendary composer who made his debut with the film Annakili and has been a dominant force in Tamil cinema music for over 45 years, continues to be active at the age of 80. His upcoming project, Viduthalai Part 2, is scheduled for release on December 20.
In a recent visit to the Srivilliputhur Andal Temple, Ilaiyaraaja was welcomed by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department. He visited various areas, including the Periya Perumal shrine, Nandavanam, and the Andal shrine.
However, when he attempted to enter the Artha Mandapam, located in front of the temple’s sanctum sanctorum, temple authorities and some devotees reportedly stopped him, citing protocol violations. This led to a public uproar.
When Ilaiyaraaja entered the sanctum of the Srivilliputhur Andal Temple, the priests and devotees informed him that there were violations in the reception and requested him to exit. Subsequently, Ilaiyaraaja came out of the sanctum and had the opportunity to have a darshan of the… pic.twitter.com/WTiOex5eDX
— Mahalingam Ponnusamy (@mahajournalist) December 16, 2024
Ilaiyaraaja, unable to enter the sanctum, offered his prayers from outside the Artha Mandapam and was later presented with a garland by the priests.
The incident has stirred controversy, with online reactions criticizing the actions of the temple officials and questioning traditional practices.
This follows a similar incident the previous day, where the district collector of Tiruvannamalai was also denied entry to the temple for prayers. The removal of Ilaiyaraaja from the temple’s Artha Mandapam has become a hot topic on social media and may continue to spark further debate.
