Officials review preparations for Deepam fest in T’malai
The temple town’s 10-day festival starts with the flag hoisting on November 17 and ends with the lighting of the Barani deepam inside Arulmigu Arunachaleswarar Temple and the Maha deepam on the Annamalai Hill on November 26.
Collector B Murugesh presiding the meeting to review preparations for Karthigai Deepam festival in Tiruvannamalai on Wednesday.
TIRUVANNAMALAI: Collector B Murugesh along with SP Karthikeyan addressed an advisory committee comprising officials from all departments on the works for the ensuing Karthigai Deepam setting the mood for the festival on Wednesday.
The temple town’s 10-day festival starts with the flag hoisting on November 17 and ends with the lighting of the Barani deepam inside Arulmigu Arunachaleswarar Temple and the Maha deepam on the Annamalai Hill on November 26.
Though a routine affair, Wednesday’s meeting gained urgency as the number of devotees expected to participate in the annual festival and girivalam this year is expected to touch 35 lakh and more, according to sources.
“With Tiruvannamalai’s population being less than 2 lakh, the sudden presence of nearly 35 lakh devotees will literally swamp the town and hence efforts have to be made to ensure that nothing untoward happens during the festival days,” an official said.
In addition to the usual temporary bus stands on the nine approach roads, multiple car parking, additional toilets, drinking water facilities, and medical camps, the special emphasis this time was on ensuring smooth movement of the five temple cars on the newly laid 1 km long mada street.
“However, encroachments have to be removed so that the chariots move unhindered,” said long-time residence S Sethu. On mada streets, the platforms have been encroached upon by residents constructing steps to their houses, sources revealed.
Officials said that archakas and temple officials sitting in the chariots, and workers using wooden and metal blocks to slow chariot movement in the front and back have all been insured against untoward happenings. Additional women police are to be on duty when the Amman car drawn exclusively by women undertakes the “Veedhi Ula.”
Similarly, heavy vehicle traffic would be banned on mada streets during the ten-day festival, officials said and added that people should not be allowed when the presiding deity was being set atop the 22 feet high temple car by workers. Also only Nandi flags and temple umbrellas would be allowed and flags of private concerns would be banned, it was said.
Trustees, chairman R Jeevanandam, and HR&CE Department joint commissioner C Jothi took part in the meeting.
