THANJAVUR:The Kumbakonam Mahamaham festival will commence on February 13 this year, according to authorities of various mutts who attended a meeting organised by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR and CE) Department at the Adhi Kumbeswarar Temple on Wednesday. Devotees would be allowed to take a holy dip in the Mahamaham tank any day between February 13 and 22, they added.
Collector Dr N Subbaiyan, who presided over the meeting, said that facilities had been arranged for lakhs of devotees who would be visiting Kumbakonam for the festival. The ceremonial flag would be hoisted on February 13 and the Theerthavari held on February 22.
Authorities of the mutts would create awareness on the do’s and don’ts at the festival. The Collector added that the government was gearing up to welcome devotees to the temple town. Sundaramurthy, the joint chief of the Tiruppanandal Kasi Mutt said that the festival, which was being held once in 12 years, attracted lakhs of devotees.
Unlike the Kumbh Melas in north Indian States, where the devotees take the holy dip simultaneously on a five-km stretch along the river, in Kumbakonam, devotees can take a dip only in the Mahamaham tank. The Collector appealed to the devotees to render all cooperation to the government to make the festival a success.
Kumarasamy Thambiran of Dharumapuram mutt said, “The devotees can take the holy dip from the new moon day of the Tamil month of ‘Thai’ to the new moon day of ‘Maasi’.