The day to light the lamp will come soon: Madras High Court Justice GR Swaminathan at book launch

Madras High Court Justice GR Swaminathan recently said that the "day to light the lamp" will arrive soon, in a veiled reference to the recent case in which he had ordered that a lamp be lit at a stone pillar on the lower of two peaks atop the Thiruparankundram hillock.

The judge made the comment at a book launch on December 27 to commemorate the release of the book Kambar and Vaishnavam. Kambar was a 12th-century Tamil poet who was the first to translate the Ramayana to Tamil.

During his speech, he said on a lighter note that he is intrigued by his connection with the lighting of sacred lamps.

The lamp lighting at the book launch was done by the organisers.

"I don’t know what the connection is between me and the Deepam (lamp). I went happily to light the lamp here today, but I was told, 'Sir, you shouldn't light it.' It was a moment of disappointment. However, I firmly believe that the day to light the lamp will come soon," Justice Swaminathan said in Tamil.

His comments come during a period of intense national scrutiny following his recent judicial order regarding the lighting of the Karthigai Deepam. The order led to a constitutional standoff between the judiciary and the State executive.

Justice Swaminathan had recently permitted the lighting of the Karthigai Deepam lamp at a Deepathoon (stone lamp pillar) on Thiruparankundram hill in Madurai district, which houses the Subramaniya Swamy Temple as well as the Sikkandar Badhusha Dargah.

Those orders, which included a directive for CISF protection, triggered controversy and were followed by reports of an impeachment notice being moved against him in Parliament by over 100 MPs.

A Division Bench of the Madras High Court recently reserved its verdict in the appeal against Justice Swaminathan's order.

A contempt case over the State's failure to comply with Justice Swaminathan's directives is also pending.

In the course of his address at the December 27 event, the judge described himself as an “idealist” and said that idealism involved pursuing objectives without compromise. He stated that idealists were those willing to take personal risks to achieve their goals and added that he did not believe in seeking or accepting compromises.

Justice Swaminathan also referred to periods of illness and financial difficulty in his life, recalling instances where he lacked adequate resources during medical treatment. He said that he had never learnt how to be a “practical person,” describing this as a consequence of prioritising conviction over convenience.

He further stated that individuals should not feel shy or hesitant in wearing religious or cultural identities. Recounting his meeting with two students at the venue, he said:

"I saw two students who came to ask for an autograph wearing prominent sacred ash (Vibhuti) on their foreheads. I want to appreciate them for that. We should never feel any shyness or hesitation in wearing our religious and cultural identities."

The judge also spoke about children and upbringing, emphasising that values imparted at an early age played a decisive role in shaping character.

"Parents and society have a responsibility to introduce children to ethical thinking and restraint, rather than focusing exclusively on academic achievement or material success," he said.

Referring to Tamil literary traditions, Justice Swaminathan spoke about the Ramayana as representing a continuing struggle between Dharma and Adharma.

"In the battle between Dharma and Adharma, initially Dharma may face difficulties. But ultimately, righteousness prevails. However, such outcomes require sustained effort and discipline."