City celebrates the festival of lights with charity events

Coimbatore: The city is gearing up to celebrate Diwali in grand manner. Lights, lamps and festivities are out on the streets and houses are decked up for the festival.

Kirtilal Kalidas Jewellery Private Limited lit up lawns and gardens at the North Coimbatore Flyover on Tuesday evening. Commuters on the flyover were seen clicking selfies and appreciating the beautiful lights.

While residents began the celebrations on Tuesday night by bursting crackers and lighting lamps, corporates and offices marked the festival by following the tradition of drawing rangolis and wearing traditional clothes.

City-based NGOs also distributed sweets and indulged in various philanthropic activities to mark the festival. Krishnamal Trust celebrated Diwali at the government hospital in the evening. The Coimbatore district home guards in Thudiyalur unit created awareness to corporation school students on safe and green Diwali. They held an event in which the students were told not to burst crackers.

NGO Eera Nenjam celebrated the festival by distributing new clothes to the homeless on the streets. Managing trustee of the NGO Mahendran employed a barber to shave them and clean them up.

Youth Helping Hands celebrated the festival by holding cultural events and distributing goods to various orphanages. Arc Foundation, another NGO, donated to tribal schools at Anaikatti.

Superintendent of police Pa Murthy said that he will celebrate the festival with the police personnel at night while patrolling the city. "I will distribute sweets and also celebrate the festival with the police officers on duty as they are unable to celebrate with their family," he said.