People throng temples for an auspicious start

Hundreds throng Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple for New Year blessings, facing long queues and high prices for offerings.

With a view to starting the New Year with an auspicious start, hundreds of people thronged Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple here on Wednesday.

People dressed in finery lined up at the shrine as early as 5 a.m. despite the cold weather. Police said that with the Sabarimala season on, already there was a heavy crowd at the temple these days, and the New Year crowd added to the long queues.

In other shrines also, including the Koodal Alagar Perumal Temple, Subramaniaswamy Temple at Tirupparankundram, there was a huge crowd of peeple from the early hours.

Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments officials at the Meenakshi temple said that there was a good demand for special entry darshan and devotees paid ₹100 and ₹50 for the darshan as the free darshan queue was so long. Many devotees said that the space for leaving the footwear was insufficient and there were huge crowds at the footwear collection booths.

The prices of flowers and garlands were high on New Year day. Even a small jasmine garland, which usually sells for ₹150, was sold for ₹300. The prices of other flowers were also high as the arrivals were less while the demand was very high.