Latest news with #Theerthavari
Time of India
12-05-2025
- Time of India
Police evict devotees using pressure pumps despite ban
Madurai: Several devotees, who arrived at the Ramarayar Mandagapadi in Mathichiyam on Monday morning with pressure pumps to perform Theerthavari — the traditional water-spraying ritual for Lord Kallazhagar — by defying a court-imposed ban, were evicted by the Madras high court earlier prohibited the use of pressure pumps, citing safety and order concerns. However, several devotees gathered at the mandapam, bringing with them pressure pumps. Police personnel stationed at the site evicted those devotees and confiscated some of the equipment. The situation turned tense when devotees confronted the police, arguing that the ritual was part of their faith and was followed for generations. A mild scuffle broke out inside the mandapam, with devotees insisting on their right to perform the ritual in their own brief negotiations, police allowed a limited number of devotees to conduct the ritual using traditional methods, while reiterating that the court order would be strictly enforced for everyone's safety. "The pressure pump ban is not against the sentiment of the devotees. It is a step to ensure crowd safety and avoid chaos, especially in packed enclosures like the Ramarayar Mandapam," a senior police officer said. City police commissioner J Loganathan, who was overseeing the security arrangements, warned of strict action against violators. "Only traditional methods like the use of aattuthol thopparai (leather pouches) are permitted for sprinkling water on the deity. The use of pressure pumps is strictly banned, and anyone defying this will face legal consequences," he said.
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Time of India
Three students drown during temple ritual in Tamil Nadu
Three students from a religious mutt in Chennai tragically drowned while performing a sacred ritual at the Veeraraghava Perumal Temple in Tiruvallur during the Chithirai Brahmotsavam festival. CHENNAI: At least three students from a religious mutt in Selaiyur, Chennai, drowned on Monday while performing a ritual at the Veeraraghava Perumal Temple in Tiruvallur , 60 km west of Chennai city. The mishap occurred during the ongoing Chithirai Brahmotsavam festival. The students visited the temple to participate in religious recitations and observances. While performing Sandhyavandanam—a daily Vedic ritual considered a sacred duty among Dvija communities—near the temple pond, three of them reportedly slipped and fell into the water. According to police sources, another student who witnessed the incident immediately raised an alarm. Locals rushed to the spot and attempted a rescue. Two of the students were declared dead at the scene, while the third succumbed to injuries while being transported to the hospital by ambulance. The deceased were identified as Hariharan, Venkatraman , and Veeraraghavan . The Tiruvallur City Police retrieved the bodies with the help of the fire and rescue personnel and sent them to the Tiruvallur Govt Medical College Hospital for autopsy. A probe into the circumstances surrounding the incident is currently underway. Earlier in April 2023, five young men drowned in a temple tank in Chennai during a Theerthavari festival after slipping into the deeper end. The incident occurred at the Dharmalingeshwarar Temple in Nanganallur, where a group of around 20 youngsters were participating in the ritual.
