Tiruvannamalai Collector, officials discuss girivalam arrangements

TIRUVANNAMALAI: With around 40 lakh devotees expected to visit the temple town of Tiruvannamalai for Karthikai Deepam festival, which is open for public after the two-year pandemic-related lockdown, district officials headed by Collector B Murugesh participated in a preparation meeting on Sunday.

The focus of the meeting was on arrangements to ensure a peaceful and trouble-free 14-km girivalam yatra for the devotees. Murugesh directed officials to ensure that shops along the path were located only on patta lands and there were no encroachments on nearby areas.

Insisting to use only manjapai (yellow bags), the Collector warned traders that fine would be levied if they use plastic bags and if garbage was found around their shops. Those planning to provide annadhanam (free food) for devotees were asked to do so only in the designated locations.

Later, Murugesh along with Superintendent of Police K Balakrishnan, Municipal Commissioner R Murugesan and other officials inspected various locations identified to set up temporary bus stands for the convenience of devotees during the Deepam festival.