People in Tamil Nadu celebrated Diwali with traditional fervour, starting off with special sesame oil bath, wearing new clothes and bursting fire crackers, while police registered cases against several of those who violated the cracker bursting time slot ordered by the government.

Unlike previous years though the sound of the bursting of firecrackers was rather subdued following the Supreme Court-imposed restrictions.

The state government had permitted firecracker bursting from 6 to 7 a.m and 7 to 8 p.m on Tuesday.

So, while the customary greetings and queries among friends and relatives would previously be "Ganga Sthanam Aachha?" (had your bath with the holy water of river Ganga?), this time round it was "did you burst firecrackers?"

"We got up early had our oil bath. The morning round of firecracker bursting got over," J. Muralidharan, a public sector employee, told IANS.

Neighbours exchanged sweets, savouries and the special Diwali Leghium - a herbal jam.

There was a large number of devotees at the temples offering prayers on this special day.

Meanwhile, the state police registered cases against those who violated the government order specifying the two-hour time slot (6 to 7 a.m and 7 to 8 p.m) for bursting of crackers in line with the Supreme Court-imposed restrictions.

The police said cases have been registered for violation of cracker bursting time in Coimbatore, Tirupur, Tirunelveli, Villupuram and other places.

According to them, the final number of cases booked will be known only on Wednesday.

--IANS

vj/nir

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