Tourist spots in State witness heavy footfall on Kaanum Pongal day
Officials said more than 60,000 tourists had visited the GBG over the last five days for Pongal holidays.
COIMBATORE: People packed their bags and headed to different tourist locales in the Western region to celebrate Kaanum Pongal on Wednesday. Heavy footfall was also witnessed at spots elsewhere in the State.
In Ooty, tourists sportively participated in competitions held as part of Pongal celebrations, which were inaugurated by Tourism Minister K Ramachandran at the Government Botanical Garden (GBG). Following a traditional dance by indigenous tribes of the hills, a bharatanatyam show by girl students enthralled the tourists.
Officials said more than 60,000 tourists had visited the GBG over the last five days for Pongal holidays. Almost all the tourist spots in the hill district witnessed heavy crowds. At VOC Park in Erode, where men were barred entry for the celebrations, it was a day of fun and frolic for women. Women who thronged the park were excited to play traditional games, dance to songs, and enjoy home-cooked food brought by them. Thousands descended at Hogenakkal falls in Dharmapuri. They took rejuvenating bath in the falls and enjoyed coracle rides.
Other tourist destinations including Yercaud in Salem, Kollimalai in Namakkal, Kodiveri dam and Bhavani Sagar dam in Erode, Kovai Kutralam falls and Monkey Falls in Coimbatore too witnessed crowd.
Meanwhile, thousands thronged tourist town of Mahabalipuram. However, since the beach was closed to public due to security reasons, the crowd seemed disappointed as many had anticipated taking a dip.
People arrived from various parts of Chennai and its suburbs like Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Tambaram, Pallavaram, Sholinganallur etc . They visited the Five Rathas, Shore Temple, Krishna’s Butter Ball, and Arjuna’s Penance and enjoyed picnic lunches.
