The Supreme Court has allowed the management of the Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam to approach the Madras High Court for carrying out repairs in the temple.

A Bench led by Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur saw no reason to decline the submission made by senior advocate Gopal Subramanium and advocate Vipin Nair, representing the idol of Arulmighu Ranganathaswamy Srirangam, to move the High Court for permission to conduct the repairs and renovation works .

“The petitioners are free to approach the High Court in which event the High Court may examine the prayer in the context of not only the statutory provisions, if any, applicable to the situation, but also the propriety of the need for carrying out the repairs and renovations as indicated by the petitioners,” the Bench observed in its order.

The temple challenged the Madras High Court order to stay the repairs on an apprehension that it would damage the historical and archaeological heritage of the temple complex.

Mr. Subramanium said temple worship in Tamil Nadu had come to a virtual halt due to the HC stay order.

He argued that a “living temple” cannot be treated as a “monument” and the repair and renovation works were strictly carried out in accordance with the Hindu religious prescriptions followed by the temples — the ‘Agamas’ and the ‘Shilpa Shastra’.

The temple had challenged the order that stayed repairs on fears they would damage the complex