Elaborate arrangements being made for Chithirai festival

A pathway being laid on the Vaigai river in Madurai for Lord Kallazhagar’s entry. | Photo Credit: R. ASHOK

With the Chithirai festival under way in Madurai, authorities are making elaborate arrangements for devotees who come from across the State.

On April 6, Madurai Collector M.S. Sangeetha presided over a preparatory meeting with officials from various departments. A total of 26 decisions were taken at the meeting for implementation.

Corporation Commissioner C. Dinesh Kumar said that elaborate arrangements were being made to provide adequate drinking water and toilet facilities to devotees. A total of 24 mobile toilets would be installed initially around Chithirai, Masi, Avani Moola and Veli streets during the Chithirai car festival.

Later, the mobile toilets would be shifted to other key points during ‘ethir sevai’. Permanent toilet facilities were already available along the routes. The toilet facilities, even the pay and use ones, would be free for public use till April 24, he said.

On drinking water facilities, he said they would be installed at 80 points and would be available not only for the Chithirai festival but also till the end of peak summer.

Special teams would be deployed to check the quality of the drinking water and the annadhanam. Adequate number of sanitary workers and vehicles would be deployed during the festival. to ensure that any waste was disposed of within three hours.

Information boards would be installed at key junctions displaying information about the places, drinking water, toilets facilities and medical camps. Medical camps and ambulances would be stationed at important junctions. Apart from these arrangements, street lights, pruning of trees and road restoration works had been completed, he said.

Deputy Commissioner (HR&CE) L. Kalaivanan said that adequate security arrangements were being made and barricades had been placed. Works were under way along the Vaigai riverbed for Lord Kallazhagar entry into the Vaigai river on April 23 LED screens would be installed so that the devotees could witness the event on the giant screens.

Devotees who wish to spray water on Lord Kallazhagar as part of the ritual during the festival should obtain the permission of the authorities of Kallazhagar Temple in Alagarkoil.

Recently, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court heard two public interest litigation petitions that sought a direction to authorities to provide adequate protection and facilities to the devotees during the Chithirai festival. The authorities told the court about the arrangements being made for the annual Chithirai festival in Madurai.