Elaborate arrangements have been made by the district administration and the police department, apart from Ramanathapuram Samasthanam, in view of the two-day Arudra Darshan to be held on January 9 and 10 (Thursday and Friday) at Sri Mangalanatha Swamy Temple at Thiru Uthirakosamangai near here.
District Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao convened a meeting on Tuesday to oversee the arrangements. He stated that over 1.5 lakh devotees are expected this year to visit the temple during the occasion and basic amenities will be ensured to cater to them.
“Arrangements have been made to provide 75,000 litres of water over multiple re-fillings. There will be 50 special workers involved in the duty and 50 special buses will ply connecting the temple to town like Ramanathapuram and Paramakudi. Sufficient number of toilet facilities including mobile toilets will be made available,” he said.
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The Collector added that four medical teams with ambulances will be stationed apart from two fire engines and 45 fire fighting personnel.
He informed that 450 police personnel will be on security duty. “Enough barricading and security have been ensured to facilitate smooth and hassle-free conduct of the festival,” he said.
The Diwan of Ramanathapuram Samasthanam, Palanivel Pandian, said that the annual cynosure event will begin on the morning of January 9, when the temple authorities would open the sannathi and unveil the emerald Nataraja idol for public darshan. The idol has been kept indoors, smeared with sandal paste since the past one year.
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After performing Arudra maha abishekam, the sannathi will open again on Friday morning for ‘Arudra Darshan’, when the much-acclaimed 1.8 metre emerald idol, believed to be sculpted from a single thick green emerald stone, will be kept for public darshan, he said.
“We expect devotees from all over the State to witness the event and on behalf of the Samasthanam and Sethupati Rani R. B. K. Rajeshwari Nachiyar, we have made elaborate arrangements for the same,” he said.