CHENNAI: The Hindu religious and charitable endowments (HR&CE) department has directed officials at all major Lord Murugan temples in Tamil Nadu to put comprehensive arrangements in place ahead of the annual Kanda Sashti and Soorasamharam festivals, ensuring hassle-free darshan and robust safety for pilgrims.HR&CE minister C Ramesh instructed temple administrations to deploy dedicated queue management plans to minimize waiting hours throughout the festival days. Additional darshan barricades, queue lines, and temple personnel will be mobilized in proportion to expected footfall.“Special provisions have been mandated for vulnerable groups. Senior citizens, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities will be provided direct, priority access to avoid prolonged waits, supported by designated temple staff and volunteers,” said Ramesh.Temple administrations have been told to set up hygienic drinking water kiosks at multiple spots and provide free light refreshments, including biscuits to those waiting in lines. Medical assistance desks, first-aid posts, and standby emergency ambulances must remain operational round the clock, alongside continuous sanitation of restrooms.Anticipating heavy congregation on Soorasamharam, the minister called for an integrated crowd management in coordination with the police department, fire and rescue services, the health department and local municipal bodies.“I have instructed that temple premises must feature strictly demarcated entry and exit routes, clear emergency evacuation pathways, comprehensive CCTV surveillance, public announcement systems, and multilingual directional signage,” he added.The minister warned that mistreatment or rude behaviour toward pilgrims by temple staffer would not be tolerated under any circumstance. Senior supervisory officers would oversee critical sectors to resolve grievances on the spot.All prominent Murugan shrines have been directed to enlist odhuvars for the recitation of Thiruppugazh, Thirumurai, and Kanda Sashti hymns, ensure temple broadcasts feature devotional verses, and give prominence to Tamil in all rituals, signages, and cultural discourses.
