Puducherry gears up for first 12-day Maha Pushkarani festival in Thirukanchi temple

The Puducherry District Administration has made elaborate arrangements for the 12-day Maha Pushkarani festival at the famous Thirukanchi Sri Gangavaraga Natheeswarar temple.  The festival, which begins on Saturday, April 22, is being held for the first time. The administration is expecting around 25,000 people to visit the temple per day, on festival days. 

The Puducherry District Administration has made elaborate arrangements for the 12-day Maha Pushkarani festival at the famous Thirukanchi Sri Gangavaraga Natheeswarar temple. 

The festival, which begins on Saturday, April 22, is being held for the first time. The administration is expecting around 25,000 people to visit the temple per day, on festival days. 

District Collector E. Vallavan, in a media interaction said all arrangements have been made for people to bathe in the Sankarabarani river near the temple. 

Around 40 fishermen will be deployed near the bathing area to deal with any contingency. The administration has also requested the deployment of one company of the National Disaster Response Force for crowd management, he said. 

More than 200 policemen will be posted on the temple premises for traffic and law and order maintenance. The Pondicherry Road Transport Corporation will ply an increased number of buses to the temple, he said. 

At a separate press conference on Friday, Senior Superintendent of Police, Law and Order, Narra Chaitanya said if necessary, more forces will be deployed, after assessing the flow of devotees.

The police will be setting up help desks to assist devotees for the dharshan and for bathing. Stern action will be initiated against trouble-makers, he said.