Minor fire at Srirangam temple

Source said that the Lord Ranganatha idol was being taken on a procession to the Vasantha Mandapam for the Vasantha utchavam around 7.30 pm when the fire broke out.

The mandapam was covered with ‘vettiver’, as per the tradition, to keep it cool. While the procession was proceeding, the temple staff carrying the fireball accidentally hit the roof of the mandapam and it caught fire. This spread panic among the devotees present inside the mandapam and they ran to safety. The fire was put out by the authorities with the help of the police.

Later a special parikara puja was performed and the deity was placed back to its place for the event. This is the second incident that has created a buzz in the town in recent times, as a mentally challenged person hurled slipper and a knife inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple a few days back.