Around 35,000 pilgrims climbed up Sathuragiri hills on Wednesday to offer their prayers to Lord Sundaramahalingam on the occasion of Adi Amavasai.
Officials said there was a sharp drop in the number of devotees coming to the temple where Adi Amavasai is the main festival. “This could be due to various factors like the hot conditions, reports on shortage of water and ban on annadanam by private trusts,” an official said.
However, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments made arrangement for water and prasadam, including sambar rice and rice gruel. “There was no major complaint on this front,” the official added.
Lot of devotees tonsured their heads at the Sathuragiri foothills as per the appeal of the HR and CE Department to save water in the hilltop. Several organisations had organised annadanam on the foothills.
Collector A. Sivagnanam said that for the first time, the district administration had organised free bus services from the parking lots to the foothills to help devotees. Fifteen TNSTC buses were operated with sponsorship from philanthropists, he added.
Meanwhile, a devotee, T. Murugesan (60) of Karpaga Nagar in Madurai died due to heart attack, while he was climbing up the hill along with his family members.
Devotees were not allowed to climb up the hill after 5 p.m.
