Dispute over right to hoist flag leads to suspension of ceremony at Kannagi Temple
Timely intervention by Forest department officials and the presence of police and revenue authorities ensured that there was no law and order issue at the holy flag hoisting ceremony at Mangaladevi Kannagi Temple at Paliyankudi in the border of Idukki district in Kerala and Theni district, on Tuesday.
Every year, to celebrate Chithra Pournami in the Tamil month of Chithirai at the temple, thousands of devotees from far and near trek to the shrine inside the forest. As the temple does not come under Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department, a private trust and a few other organisations conduct the events and serve annadhanam during the festival.
To mark the beginning of the festival, they had assembled at at Vinetripaari on the foothills of the Kannagi temple. But trouble started as another group claimed right to hoist the flag. As the foothills were under the Forest department jurisdiction, they alerted the police and revenue authorities.
Uthamapalayam Deputy Superintendent of Police Venkatesan and Tahsildar Kannan, along with Forest officials led by Muralidharan from Gudalur range held talks with the two groups.
As there seemed to be no consensus, they announced the suspension of the flag-hoisting ceremony and ordered closure of the gates leading to the forest path. In normal times, devotees trek through the forest to the shrine and drinking water and food are provided to them by the organisers.
Later, the trustees hoisted the holy flag at their trust office in Cumbum and announced that the devotees can tie the 'kaapu' to begin the fast.
A senior revenue official said that the district administration would conduct a peace talk soon and ensure that the festival went on smoothly. Last year, when there were similar issues, the district administration took over the conduct of the festival and ensured that there was no law and order problem, the official added.
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