Arrangements in place for Chitra Pournami festival at Mangaladevi shrine on May 1

All arrangements have been made for the annual Chitra Pournami festival to be held at the Mangaladevi shrine, located inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve, on May 1, authorities said on Tuesday. Overnight stay inside the forest is strictly prohibited, a press statement said. Authorities said changes have been made to the entry and exit routes this year compared to previous arrangements.

All arrangements have been made for the annual Chitra Pournami festival to be held at the Mangaladevi shrine, located inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve, on May 1, authorities said on Tuesday. Devotees will be allowed entry to the temple premises from 6 am onwards, the district administration said. Entry into the forest area will not be permitted after 2.30 pm, and all pilgrims must exit by 5 pm. Overnight stay inside the forest is strictly prohibited, a press statement said. Chitra Pournami is a Hindu festival observed on the full moon (Purnima) day in the month of Chitra. Trip jeeps ferrying devotees from the Kumily bus stand will be allowed entry between 5.30 am and 1.45 pm. Two-wheelers and tractors are strictly banned, it said. Vehicles must enter within the stipulated time. Passes for trip jeeps, along with fitness certificate verification, will be issued at four counters at the Kumily bus stand on April 29 and 30. Authorities said changes have been made to the entry and exit routes this year compared to previous arrangements. The entry point will be through last year's exit route. Queue systems will be implemented to manage crowd flow, and facilities for the safekeeping of footwear will be arranged outside the temple. Arrangements have also been made for the distribution of food and drinking water, the statement said, adding that medical teams from both Kerala and Tamil Nadu will be deployed at the site, along with adequate sanitation facilities. Devotees are not allowed to carry plastic bottles below five litres, plastic covers, or aluminium foil into the forest. Consumption of alcohol and narcotic substances is strictly prohibited. Cooking inside the forest and the bursting of firecrackers are also banned. Photography, videography, and the use of drones are not allowed, and violators will face legal action, the statement added. Authorities on Monday issued a cautionary advisory for devotees planning to attend the festival at the Mangaladevi temple on May 1, following a forecast of heavy rain and thunderstorms in parts of the district.