TIRUVANNAMALAI: One of the biggest temple festivals in Tamil Nadu -- the Karthigai Deepam festival in Tiruvannamalai -- is going to be a low key affair this year with a lot of restrictions put in place owing to the Covid pandemic.
The district administration on Friday announced that no devotees will be allowed entry into the Arunachaleswarar temple premises on the day of Mahadeepam falling on 29 November.
However, devotees numbering only 5,000 will be allowed to offer worship at the temple on other days during Karthigai Deepam festivities which start on 17 Nov. and culminates on 3 December, provided that they get registered online through the official website of the temple for free darshan, according to district collector KS Kandasamy.
He said, “No permission for devotees/public to worship in the premises of Annamalaiyar temple on Deepam day (November 29).”
Girivalam is also prohibited on the day of Deepam and the subsequent Pournami day on 30 November. The car festival will be restricted to the premises of the temple.
The lighting of Bharani Deepam and Mahadeepam are the biggest events that attract lakhs of people to the temple town.
This year, the Bharanai Deepam will be lit on the premises of the temple at 4 am and the Maha Deepam at the Annamalaiyar hills at 6 pm on Nov. 29.
A select number of devotees are usually allowed to climb the hills but this year none will be permitted to do so, and annadhanam distribution is also banned.
Devotees who want to visit the temple for worship on all days other than Maha Deepam (between November 17 and December 2) have to register their name online by visiting the temple’s official website-www.arunachaleswarartemple.tnhrce.in for free darshan.
A maximum of 5,000 devotees will be allowed only for darshan and cannot participate in other events connected to the festivities on other days.
The festival starts with Durgai Amman Urchavam on 17 Nov. and the flag hoisting will be done on 20 Nov. and the Maha Deepam falls on the 10th day.
All the protocols relating to Covid pandemic are being fully followed in the temple. Automatic hand sanitiser dispensers are installed at the entry point, the mask is wearing made compulsory.
Currently, devotees ranging from 4,000 to 5,000 are visiting on weekdays and the numbers swell to 8000 on weekends and special occasions. They are allowed to pay worship from 6.30 am to 8 pm.
The annual cattle and horse shandy held at the grounds near the government arts college on Chengam Road in Tiruvannamalai is also prohibited due to the Covid prevention activities.
It may be noted that Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department had intimated Madras High Court that the festivities would be a low key affair given the pandemic, in response to a case filed by Viswa Hindu Parishad regarding the conduct of the festival.