COIMBATORE: Over six lakh people visited the Sri Subramaniaswamy Temple in Maruthamalai on Tuesday for Thaipoosam festival, according to the Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department.
Devotees, who observed a fast, started reaching the temple on padayatra carrying paal kudam (milk pot) and kavadi, from 10 pm on Monday. The temple remained open on Monday night, and priests performed pooja. Electricity Minister V. Senthil Balaji inaugurated the temple car festival at 11 am on Tuesday.
R Senthil Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, HRCE, Sri Subramaniaswamy Temple, Maruthamalai, said last year four lakh devotees had visited. “Police personnel effectively managed the crowd, and private vehicles, including cars and two-wheelers, were allotted separate parking space in the surroundings of the foothill. We operated six mini buses to take devotees from the foothill and it helped avoid traffic congestion on the hill road throughout the day.” he said.
Coimbatore forest range staff had posted its staff and volunteers to prevent wild elephants from entering the steps. Three devotees were injured after they suffered mild electric shock near a shop at the foothill. There were complaints that HR& CE department did not provide enough drinking water as the crowd had exceeded expectations.