50.000 devotees to throng Pushkararn venuea day for next 2 weeks

With Mettur dam remaining shut, those hoping to take a dip in the Cauvery during the 2-week spiritual extravaganza are disappointed they will get only a shower

TIRUCHY and Nagapattinam are all set for the two-week long Cauvery Pushkaram which be-gins on Tuesday Though it was widely expected that Mettur dam would be opened, or at least the discharge would be stepped up, for the event devotees have to make do with just a shower as they did during Aadi Perukku. With no flow in the Cauvery, the district administrations of Tiruchy and Nagapattinam have sunk borewells and set up show-ers to allow devotees take a holy bath. In Tiruchy, the Corpora-tion has set up showers at Amma Mandabham, Veereswaram Padithurai and Aasthana Namp-rumal Mandapam. While 20 new showers are set up at Veereswaram Padithurai, in the other two places, the arrangements put in place for Aadi Perukku have been retained, which has left devotees a disappointed lot. S Saraswathi, a resident of Srirangam, said taking a dip in the river was the important ritual during a pushkaram, and rued that the showers have taken the sheen off the event.


Explaining the rituals, Sund-ar Bhattar, priest of Sri Ranga-nathaswamy temple and a mem-ber of the Pushkaram organising committee, said celebrations would consist of worship of ancestors, yoga and poojas. Devotees would then take a dip in the river to cleanse themselves of their sins. Fifty pandits would conduct poojas and yoga sessions on the river-banks. Special poojas would be performed for rain and welfare of farmers. With over 50,000 devotees expected to throng the city per day for the next two weeks, the Corporation has put in place elaborate arrangements, including installation of mobile toilets, to ensure the event passes off with-out any untoward events. Over Kanchi Sankaracharyas to inaugurate Kanchl Sankaracharyas Sri J ayendra Saraswathl and Sri Yijayendra Saraswathl would inaugurate the pushkaram at the Thutakattam In Maylladuthural In Nagapattinam district. Pushkaram Is a once in a 12-year celebration of major rivers, including the Ganga, Yamuna, Sindhu, Thamiraparani and Cauvery. Each of the 12 rivers is associated with a zodiac sign and the spots where the festival would be held is decided based on the transit of Jupiter. Libra is the zodiac sign for Cauvery.

400 workers have been deployed on the AmmaMandapam ghat to keep the premises clean. Speak-ing to Express, a senior Corpora-tion official said 400 staff, including 300 cleaners and 50 supervisors would be deployed. As the river has become a virtual dustbowl, the Corporation has sunk new bore wells on the banks for artificial showers. Along with mobile toilets, several garbage bins have also been installed. R Kannan, district manager of the 108 service, said, "We have deputed four 108 ambulances for the festival to deal with emergencies. Two 108 bikes will be stationed near the Amma Mandapam and Srirangam temple to provide first-aid. A team of 40 medical staff would be present at the The Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) would operate ten special buses from major spots so that devo-tees reach Srirangam easily.
Source epaper.newindianexpress.com//c/22061340