Velankanni Church-Murugan Temple claim triggers controversy, opens historical debate

Kochi, Oct 29 (UNI) A controversy has erupted over Hindutva commentator Vidyasagar Gurumurthy's claim that Velankanni Church, one of Tamil Nadu's prominent Christian pilgrimage centres, was originally a temple dedicated to Lord Murugan, with Hindu Aikya Vedi leader Bhargava Ram backing his contention and calling for an open debate involving historians to examine the historical claims. Gurumurthy has questioned the historical identity of the famous Marian shrine, arguing that the name Velankanni is associated with Lord Murugan holding a 'Vel' (spear) and Goddess Parvati seated on his lap. His remarks, made during an interview with a YouTube channel, have triggered…