NAGERCOIL: Thousands of devotees from across the region participated in the car festival of Sthanumalayan Temple, situated on the banks of the Pazhayar at Suchindram near here on Tuesday.
The 10-day Margazhi festival of the temple began with flag hoisting on January 2. Devotees pulled the decorated car along the four Mada Streets with fervour. The car procession marked the end of the Margazhi festival. The car festival was inaugurated at 8.25 a.m. by District Revenue Officer S. Elango in the presence of Rajya Sabha MP A. Vijayakumar and Nagercoil Revenue Divisional Officer R. Rajkumar. The car returned to its base at 12.15 p.m.
Earlier, special abisekams and pujas were performed for the deities. The presiding deity, Sthanumalayan, along with Aram Valartha Nayaki and Vinayagar, was taken in a procession. All the four streets around the templewere filled with devotees.
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The district administration has declared a local holiday on Tuesday. Suchindrum town panchayat ensured basic facilities like drinking water, sanitation and medical facility in coordination with the Department of Health. Various organisations offered butter milk and drinking water for the devotees and hundreds of vendors had put up shops on the road margins.
The Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation operated special buses to the temple from various destinations. Fire and Rescue Services personnel were stationed with floats around the temple tank to act in an emergency. The district police had made elaborate security arrangements for the festival.