2,000 buses for Karthigai deepam

A fleet of 600 buses has been earmarked to ferry devotees from Chennai city alone for the festival. Special buses from Chennai, Salem, Vellore, Kancheepuram, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Panruti, Neyveli, Tiruchy, Nagapattinam and Pudhucherry are to be operated towards Tiruvannamalai during the festival days. This year, the festival would commence at the Arunachaleshwarar temple with flag hoisting on December 3. The car festival would be held on December 9 followed by the lighting of Mahadeepam on December 12. Large number of devotees are expected to participate in Girivalam on December 13. In order to facilitate devotees from across the state to participate in the ten-day annual Karthigai Deepam festival at Tiruvannamalai, the transport department has planned to run the special buses on these days.  Lakhs of pilgrims gather in the town during the festival which falls on the Tamil month of Karthigai. The lamps in the homes are lit only after the Mahadeepam has been lit atop the hill.