Latest news with #ChitraPournamifestival
The Hindu
12-05-2025
- The Hindu
State govt. taking steps to enable devotees to visit Kannagi temple on every pournami day, says HR&CE Minister
The annual Chitra Pournami festival was celebrated with gaiety and fervour at the Mangaladevi Kannagi Temple by a large number of devotees from Theni (Tamil Nadu) and Idukki (Kerala) districts on Monday. Participating in the celebrations, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Minister P.K. Sekar Babu said the department would make all arrangements for the devotees to visit the Kannagi temple without any hassles. 'We have already initiated talks with Kerala government officials, and a letter too was handed over to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan,' he said. The temple, which is situated between Tamil Nadu and Kerala, attracts devotees from far and near, and Chitra Pournami is celebrated in a grand manner every year. Forest Department officials from both the States make arrangements during this period by fencing the forest areas and ensure that the devotees have no threat from wild animals. With the ever-increasing number of devotees visiting the temple, it has been proposed to build infrastructure facilities in a permanent manner, so that devotees may visit the temple on Pournami days throughout the year. The HR&CE Department is contemplating to build rest rooms (yatri nivas) for the people and also maintain the spot. According to the legend, Chera King Senguttuvan built the shrine, and Chitra Pournami is being celebrated at the temple during the Tamil month of Chitirai by the people. The Minister was confident of smoothening the visit to the shrine without hassles for the devotees in the coming year. He said the HR&CE Department and the Theni district administration had arranged food for 25,000 people in view of the festival. Apart from this, the devotees who reached the Kannagi temple on foot were provided food in Uthamapalayam and Kumily. HR&CE Commissioner P.N. Sridhar, Theni District Collector Ranjith Singh, Superintendent of Police R. Shiva Prasad, Srivilliputtur Megamalai Tiger Reserve Deputy Director Anand, MP Thanga Tamil Selvan, MLAs N. Ramakrishnan, A. Maharajan, K.S. Saravana Kumar, and senior officials from the HR&CE, Forest, Revenue Departments participated.
Time of India
08-05-2025
- Time of India
HC seeks report from Theni collector on facilities at temple during festival
Madurai: Madras high court on Thursday directed the Theni district collector to file a report on the facilities provided to devotees visiting Mangaladevi Kannagi Temple situated between Theni district in Tamil Nadu and Idukki district in Kerala, during the Chitra Pournami festival .The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by S Karthikeyan. The petitioner stated that a large number of devotees from both states visit the temple during the Chitra Pournami festival every stated that the members of the Mangaladevi Kannagi Arakattalai (trust) in Cumbum are allegedly printing pamphlets with the bank account number and collecting money illegally from the devotees. He claimed that no proper account is maintained and the amount is being swindled. Hence, he moved court seeking a direction to conduct an inquiry into the illegal money collection . The petitioner also sought a direction to the authorities to conduct the festival without any interference by any third parties by providing basic facilities to the devotees visiting the temple during the the course of the hearing, the counsel for the trust submitted that it is a charitable trust and they are genuinely providing annadhanam to the devotees who are visiting the temple. The counsel submitted that they are not collecting donations forcibly from any person, including the petitioner, and people are voluntarily giving donations through the bank.A division bench of justice M Dhandapani and justice R Sakthivel observed that considering the facts and circumstances of the case, the court is inclined to ascertain whether any proper facilities are provided to the devotees. Hence, the judges directed the collector to file a report.
