HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA AT HYDERABAD WEDNESDAY, THE TENTH DAY OF APRIL TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY FOUR :PRESENT: THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE N.V.SHRAVAN KUMAR

WRIT PETITION NOs: 6335, 37898 AND 13168 OF 2022

WRIT PETITION NO.6335 OF 2022

Between:

Kancherla Venkata Ramana, S/o. Late Sri Kancherla Mallikharjuna Rao

AND

• 1. The State of Telangana, Rep., by its Secretary, Endowments Department, Secretariat, Hyderabad.
• 2. The Commissioner of Endowments, Office at Abids, Hyderabad, Telangana.
• 3. The District Collector, Bhadradri Kothagudem District, at Kothagudem.
• 4. Sri Seetha Ramachandraswamy Vaari Devasthanam, Rep. by its Executive. Officer at Bhadrachalam, Bhadradri Kothagudem District.

...Respondents

...Petitioner

Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed therewith, the High Court may be pleased to issue Writ, order or direction preferably Writ of Mandamus, declaring the action of the Respondents in distorting the History and Age-Old traditions of the Sri Seetha Ramachandraswamy Vaari Devasthanam, Bhadrachalam by improperly addressing the Lord of the Bhadrachalam Temple as Ramanarayana and thereby reciting the inappropriate Pravara (Invocation of the illustrious Ancestors) and Gothram (Clan/Original Ancestor) of the Principal Deities of the Bhadrachalam Temple during the performance of the Annual Celestial Wedding (Kalyanam) of Lord Sri Rama and Sita on Sri Rama Navami, which forms essential religious practice, as illegal, arbitrary and violative of Articles 14, 21, 25 and 26 of the Constitution of India and opposed to the intentions of the Founder of the Temple, Sri Bhakta Ramadas and consequently direct the Respondents to preserve the sanctity of the Original names of the Principal Deities of the Bhadrachalam Temple and further direct the Respondent No.4 to recite the historically correct Pravara and Gothramas stated in para 12(a) of the affidavit, of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita in their Human Incarnation during the Kalyanam.

IA NO: 1 OF 2022

Petition under Section 151 CPC praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed in support of the writ petition, the High Court may be pleased to direct the Respondent No.4 to recite the historically correct Pravara (Invocation of the illustrious Ancestors) and Gothram (Clan/Original Ancestor) as stated in para 12(a) of the affidavit, of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita in their Human Incarnation in the ensuing Annual Celestial Wedding (Kalyanam Mahotsav), pending disposal of WP.No.6335 of 2022, on the file of the High Court.

The petition coming on for hearing, upon perusing the Petition and the affidavit filed in support thereof and upon hearing the arguments of MR. A. RAGHURAM Advocate for the Petitioner, GP FOR ENDOWMENTS for the Respondent No.1, SRI. JAGAN MOHAN REDDY Advocate for the Respondent Nos.2 and 4 and GP FOR REVENUE for the Respondent No.3, the Court made the following.

WRIT PETITION NO: 37898 OF 2022

Between:

G.T.V. Manindhar, S/o. G.H.L.Prasad,

...Petitioner

AND

• 1. The State of Telangana, Rep, by its Secretary, Endowments Department, Secretariat, Hyderabad.
• 2. The Commissioner of Endowments, Office at Tilak Road, Abids, Hyderabad.
• 3. The District Collector, Bhadradri Kothagudem District.
• 4. Sree Seetha Ramachandra Swamy Vari Devasthanam, Bhadrachalam, Bhadradri-Kothaduem District, Telangana, rep. by its Executive Officer.
• 5. The Chief Priest, Sree Seetha Ramachandra Swamy Vari Devasthanam, Bhadrachalam, Bhadradri-Kothaduem District, Telangana.

...Respondents

Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed therewith, the High Court may be pleased to issue a writ or order or orders more particularly one in the nature of writ of Mandamus declaring the action of the respondents more particularly 4^th and 5^th respondents in middling in the spiritual and ritual issues pertaining to conduct of pooja to Lord Sree Seeta Ramachandra Swamy temple of Bhadrachalam by grossly violating and deviating from the established norms and practices, as illegal, arbitrary and violative of Articles 14,19 and 25 to 29 of The Constitution of India and consequentially direct the respondents to follow the established rituals and norms of pooja vidhana more particularly naming the Lord as Ramachandra Swamy in all poojas and not as Ramanarayana.

IA NO: 1 OF 2022

Petition under Section 151 of CPC praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed in support of the Writ Petition, the High Court may be pleased to direct the Respondents to constitute a committee of experts consisting of Acharyas of various Hindu sampradaya/tradition, vedic scholars and other stake-holders to examine the issue complained of and submit a report within prescribed period and consequentially restore the age old traditions of worship, pending disposal of Writ Petition No.37898 of 2022, on the file of the High Court.

The petition coming on for hearing, upon perusing the Petition and the affidavit filed in support thereof and upon hearing the arguments of Sri. SRIKANTH HARIHARAN, Advocate for the Petitioner, GP FOR ENDOWMENTS, for the Respondent Nos.1 and 2, GP FOR REVENUE, for the Respondent No.3, Sri. K. Jagan Mohan Reddy (SC for ENDOWMENTS), for the Respondent Nos.4 and 5 the Court made the following.

WRIT PETITION NO: 13168 OF 2022

Between:

Jamalapurapu Srinivas Rao, S/o. J. Rameswara Rao,

AND

• 1. The State of Telangana, Rep., by its Secretary, Endowments Department Secretariat, Hyderabad.
• 2. The Commissioner of Endowments, Office at Abids, Hyderabad, Telangana.
• 3. The District Collector, Bhadradri Kothagudem District, at Kothagudem.
• 4. Sri Seetha Ramachandraswamy Vaari Devasthanam, Rep. by its Executive Officer at Bhadrachalam, Bhadradri Kothagudem District.

...Respondents

...Petitioner

Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed therewith, the High Court may be pleased to issue Writ, order or direction preferably Writ of Mandamus, declaring the action of the Respondents in distorting the History by reciting the inappropriate Pravara (Invocation of the illustrious Ancestors) and Gothram (Clan/Original Ancestor) of Lord Sri Rama and Goddess Sita during the performance of their Annual Celestial Wedding (Kalyanam) on Sri Rama Navami, as arbitrary and violative of Articles 14, 21 and 25 of the Constitution of India and consequently direct the Respondent No.4 to recite the Historically correct Pravara and Gothram of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita in their Human Incarnation during the Kalyanam Rituals.

IA NO: 1 OF 2022

Petition under Section 151 of CPC praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed in support of the Writ Petition, the High Court may be pleased to direct The Respondents not to distort History while reciting the Pravara (Invocation of the Illustrious Ancestors) and Gothram (Clan/Originar Ancestor) of Lord Sri Rama and Goddess Sita during the ensuing Sri Rama Navami Kalyanam at the Respondent No.4, pending disposal of Writ Petition No.13168 of 2022, on the file of the High Court.

The petition coming on for hearing, upon perusing the Petition and the affidavit filed in support thereof and upon hearing the arguments of Sri. KOWTURU PAVAN KUMAR, Advocate for the Petitioner, GP FOR ENDOWMENTS, for the Respondent Nos.1 & 2, GP FOR REVENUE, for the Respondent No.3, Sri. K. Jagan Mohan Reddy (SC for Endowments), for the Respondent No.4, the Court made the following. $\overline{\phantom{0}}$

ORDER:

Heard both the learned counsels.

The Commissioner of Endowments is directed to produce the details of all the existing Sree Seeta Ramachandra Swamy Temples in Telangana and how the Gotra and Pravara is chanted during the regular rituals in those temples and the copy of temple certificate of registration of the Sree Seeta Ramchandra Swamy Temple, Badrachalam as per the Endowments Act 17 of 1966 wherein originally the temple was registered in the Endowment register. Also to submit that who are the Dwarapalakas of lord Sri Seetha Ramachandra temple at Bhadrachalam and the main deity in the Badrachalam temple and in the daily rituals how the Gothra and Pravara for the deities at Badrachalam are being recited. Let the Commissioner file an affidavit to the extent.

List on 15.04.2024.

SD/-N.SRIHARI ASSISTANT REGISTRAR

//TRUE COPY//

To,

• SECTION OFFICER
• 1. The Secretary, Endowments Department, State of Telangana, Secretariat, Hyderabad.
• 2. The Commissioner of Endowments, Office at Abids, Hyderabad, Telangana (By Special Messenger).
• 3. The District Collector, Bhadradri Kothagudem District, at Kothagudem (RR 1) and 3 by $RPAD$ )
• 4. One CC to MR. A. RAGHURAM, Advocate [OPUC].
• 5. Two CCs to GP FOR ENDOWMENTS, High Court for the State of Telangana at Hyderabad [OUT].
• 6. Two CCs to GP FOR REVENUE, High Court for the State of Telangana at Hyderabad [OUT].

7. One spare copy

HIGH COURT

NVSK,J

DATED: 1010412024

NOTE: LIST ON 15.04.2024

ORDER

WRIT PETITION NOs: 6335, 37898 AND 13168 OF 2022

DIRECTION