25 held for playing music in temple

VRIDDHACHALAM: Twenty-five people, including 23 musicians, were arrested on Saturday for trying to play ‘Kailash instruments’ inside the Viruthagirirswarar temple here. Musicians of ‘Shivagana Boothagana Nathar Isai Thirukoottam’ had been denied permission by the HR&CE department to perform inside the temple since July 7, 2011. They contended that loud noise would disturb poojas.The musicians had been using instruments like Brahma Thalam, Sangu, Neduntharai, Udukkai, Kombu, Yekkalam and Murasu in the temple for the past 6 years.“The temple administration is treating Tamil music as a subordinate one. These instruments are being played during festivals in Shiva temples in Chidambaram, Tiruvarur and Tiruvannamalai,” Ashok Kumar of Thirukottam said. Rajkamal, another musician, said the temple is allowing electronic musical instruments. “We are ready to take just one or two of our instruments inside the temple in order to reduce the noise,” Rajkamal said.On Saturday, when the musicians insisted on performing as part of Masi Magam festival, revenue officials stopped them. Later, the musicians, along with some human rights activists took out a “musical procession” from Vriddhachalam bus stand to the temple, where the police stopped them, leading to a tussle.When they started playing music in front of the temple, police arrested them. Police said that 25 persons, including 3 members of Human Rights Protection Centre, were arrested.