Collector Inspects Kanda Sashti Festival Arrangements in Tiruchendur
The festival at the Arulmigu Subramaniya Swamy temple will commence on November 10 with the hoisting of the temple flag.
Thoothukudi: Expecting around 10 lakh devotees to visit Tiruchendur during the six-day Kanda Sashti festival, the temple administration, in coordination with various government departments, has made elaborate arrangements to manage the crowd and ensure the safety of devotees.
The festival at the Arulmigu Subramaniya Swamy temple will commence on November 10 with the hoisting of the temple flag. The temple will open early in the morning for devotees during the festival, with special worship and rituals being performed.
More than one lakh devotees are expected to witness the Soorasamharam on November 15, the sixth day, when Lord Muruga will symbolically slay the demon Soorapadman on the seashore opposite the temple around 4 pm. The festival will conclude on November 16 with the thirukalyanam, the celestial wedding of Lord Muruga with Goddess Deivanai.
The temple administration, in coordination with the revenue, health, fire and rescue services, police, Coast Guard and Coastal Security Group, has put in place elaborate arrangements to manage the expected influx of devotees.
As part of the preparations, the entire 3-km stretch of the seashore between the Subramaniya Swamy temple and the Ayyavazhi temple has been cleaned.
Collector Vishu Mahajan inspected the festival arrangements on Thursday. He visited the locations earmarked for temporary parking of private vehicles and temporary bus stands at J.J. Nagar in Veerapandianpattinam, the Traders' Association land on the Tirunelveli Main Road, Senthil Andavar Boys Higher Secondary School premises and Ideal Park.
He reviewed the provision of basic amenities, including drinking water and mobile toilets, at these locations.
He inspected the facilities at the government hospital, including the availability of medical equipment and beds, and the first-aid centres on the temple premises for devotees. He reviewed the arrangements at the permanent and temporary shelter facilities for devotees observing the fast on the temple premises.
Later, the Collector held a meeting with officials at the temple office and advised them on the preparations required for the festival.
Temple joint commissioner Arunachalam, Tiruchendur RDO Goutham, assistant collector (training) Patil Krishna Baburan, Tiruchendur municipality commissioner Ezhaventhan, tahsildar Thangasamy and other officials accompanied the Collector during the inspection.