Sivanery Arapany Mantram of Amparai district has urged Minister of Hindu Religious Affairs D.M.Swaminathan to take steps to provide Nanthi flags to temples, Aranery Padasalaikals, and Hindu organizations, without any restrictions on quantities.
President Y.Gajendra and Secretary L.Saravanapavan are signatories to the appeal. The letter of appeal stated that Senior Vice President of the All Ceylon Hindu Congress Vidaikody Chelvar Sinnadurai Dhanabalaa has been singularly striving for over two and a half decades to donate Nanthi flags and encourage and promote the hoisting of the flag during Hindu festivals at homes and temples. His services in this field have been appreciated by Saivaite Kovils and Associations here and by Saiva Aatheenams in Tamil Nadu. Furthermore, Hindu Ministry has earlier been committed to this task in no small measure.
The Society suggested that Minister Swaminathan should set up a Committee preferably with Dhanabalaa as a Patron to spell out details such as size, colour, quality etc of the flag.
It stressed that during annual festivals of Siva temples only one Nanthi Flag is hoisted at the flag staff, while the temples in the South and here are inundated with Nanthi flags in all directions vibrating values of Sivaism. It is but a misconception that only one flag needs to be hoisted.
