The Aadi Pooram festival that is scheduled to begin at Andal temple in Srivilliputtur on Wednesday will be a low-key event with limited representatives of temple administration and priests.
The Department of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments has prohibited participation of devotees in view of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, according to temple sources. The festival marks the birth star of presiding deity Goddess Andal.
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The highlight of the 12-day festival is the car-pulling event that attracts thousands of devotees from all around the State. “This year, there will be no fanfare. Only limited number of temple staff will participate in the hoisting of temple flag to mark the commencement of the festival to be held on Thursday,” said the temple executive officer A. Elangovan.
Instead of the huge temple car that is pulled by thousands of enthusiastic devotees on the Car Streets around the temple, a golden car would be pulled in the praharam, he said.
Temple Fitperson, Ravichandran, HR and CE Joint Commissioner, N. Dhanapal, the executive officer and few priests are likely to take part in the events.
Earlier, Sri Satagopa Ramanuja Jeeyar of Srivilliputtur had appealed to the Chief Minister, Edappadi K. Palaniswami, for the conduct of Aadi Pooram festival in the usual way.
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However, with Virudhunagar district recording nearly 2,000 fresh COVID-19 positive cases in the last 14 days, the State government has not allowed public participation in the festival.