CHENNAI: Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa on Friday conducted a meeting with ministers and senior officials to review the Rs 100 crore arrangements taken up for the Mahamaham festival at Kumbakonam. More than 10 lakh pilgrims are expected to participate in the festival on February 22. The state has directed the district administration and the Hindu religious and charitable endowments (HR&CE) department to make necessary arrangements, Secretariat sources said.
About 25,000 police personnel, including 3,000 home guards, are deployed for the festival. The areas surrounding the temples will be cordoned off and all vehicles will be stopped one-and-a-half kiolmetre ahead of the Adhi Kumbeswarar- Mangalambigai temple tank, where pilgrims will take a dip, a senior HR&CE official said. For safety reasons, the tank will have water only up to two feet and the south and north entrances will be blocked. To prevent stampede or drowning, pilgrims will be allowed to enter the temple tank through east entry and after the holy dip, they will exit through the west gate. Timings will be maintained to prevent over crowding, the official added.
According to a district administration official, 17 temples have been renovated and tanks desilted at a cost of Rs 12. 8 crore for the Mahamaham. An official website, online distribution of prasadam and amenities like mobile toilets and distribution of ten lakh drinking water bottles will be arranged for pilgrims. The state transport corporation will operate more than 1,000 buses and mini buses will be operated to benefit the physically challenged, aged and children. Six temporary bus shelters have been established on the outskirts of Kumbakonam. Twenty seven fire tenders and more than a dozen ambulances have been arranged, the official added.
