TIRUVANNAMALAI: The Karthigai Deepam festivities at the popular Arunachaleswarar temple in Tiruvannamalai has begun with the traditional flag hoisting event marking the first day of celebrations, amid the pandemic induced restrictions on Friday.
The 14-day festivities started off with the temple's flag hoisting ceremony held between 5.30 am and 6.30 am.
The flag hoisting was followed by the ashtabandana maha kumbabishekam performed at Maha Sakthi Mariamman temple located on the Girivalam route, according to officials.
The premier event of the Deepam festivities, lighting of Maha Deepam is scheduled to be performed on the evening of 29 November at the Annamalaiyar hills. It will be preceded by lighting of Bharani Deepam in the morning.
“Owing to the Covid pandemic situation, the district administration has barred devotees entering into the temple premises on the Maha Deepam day, whereas entry for devotees on all the other days is restricted to only 5000 per day,” an officer of HR&CE said.
The devotees/visitors will be allowed to enter into the temple premises for paying worship only if they register online through the official website of the temple -- www.arunachaleswarartemple.tnhrce.in, the officer noted.
No charges will be collected for the online darshan registration.
Karthigai Deepam festivities in Tiruvannamalai, one of the major events in Tamil Nadu attracting a gathering of more than 10 lakh every year, is this time around being made a low key affair along with pandemic restrictions.
The entrants to the temple, after showing due registration, will be screened for fever and mask compliance has been made compulsory.
Sources said that the flag hoisting event witnessed ruckus after a local AIADMK leader engaged in a wordy duel with the authorities of HR&CE and Sivachariyars for hoisting the flag as per the time schedule even before the Minister had arrived, despite the fact that he was late to the temple.
A host of VIPs including Tamil Nadu Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Sevoor S Ramachandran participated in the events.
Apart from Sevoor Ramachandran, top officials including Tiruvannamalai district collector Sandeep Nanduri, special officer for Grievance Redressal, Tamil Nadu E-governance KS Kandasamy and Superintendent of Police (SP) S Aravind also participated in the ceremonies.