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Tamil Nadu
Security measures dampen festive spirit
| Many of devotees with VIP passes and Rs. 500 tickets could not enter the temple |
Having a tough time: Devotees line up for a ‘darshan’ at the temple in Tiruvannamalai on Thursday. — .
TIRUVANNAMALAI: The security measures, taken by the Tamil Nadu Police Force in and around Sri Arunachaleswarar Temple in Tiruvannamalai during the Karthigai Deepam festival on Thursday, kept devotees a little bit disappointed.
The disappointment was caused by the security curbs put on the devotees, who were waiting for a ‘darshan’ of the deity.
Many of them could not enter the temple premises, and had to argue with the security personnel outside the Ammani Amman Gopuram and the Western Gate. The free ‘darshan’ was stopped the whole day till the Karthigai Mahadeepam was lit atop the Tiruvannamalai Hills. There was confusion at the gopuram side as VIP pass holders, Rs. 500-ticket holders and VVIPs were not allowed to enter the temple. Though an advertisement released by the temple authorities had mentioned that devotees at the gopuram side would be allowed to enter the temple from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., the gate was closed by 2.30 p.m. People were waiting in long queues to enter the temple.
Several VIP pass-holders and Rs. 500 ticket-holders told The Hindu that they had been standing in the queue for more than three hours and still could not get close to the gate through which they would be allowed to enter the temple.
Many of them left without a ‘darshan’ after a long wait. When some devotees tried to forcefully enter the barricaded area, the police held them back.
A few mediapersons, who were present before 3.30 p.m., also said that they were not allowed inside.
They alleged that the Public Relations Officer had not made proper arrangements as only a few mediapersons could make it into the temple before the scheduled time.
People complained that the exact accommodation strength of the temple was not considered while selling tickets and issuing passes.
The situation was no different at the Western Gate, where ordinary card-holders were allowed to enter the temple.
Some of the devotees had come for free ‘darshan’ seeing an advertisement that such a ‘darshan’ would be allowed through the Raja Gopuram between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. But, it was cancelled without prior information.
The post-festival traffic scenario also left much to be desired as the number of traffic managers to streamline the vehicle movement was inadequate.
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