RAMANATHAPURAM:TAMIL People having a holy dip at Agni Theertham sea in Rameswaram on the occasion of Adi Amavasai on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit: L. BALACHANDAR
Devotees trekking on Sathuragiri hills to offer prayers on Wednesday.
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After much dilly-dally by the forest fire reported on Sathuragiri hills since Monday night, Virudhunagar and Madurai district administrations finally allowed devotees to climb up the hills to offer their prayers at Sundaramahalingam Temple on Wednesday on the occasion of Aadi amavasai.Around 14,500 devotees had gathered at foothills despite the Collectors of Virudhunagar and Madurai having announced a ban on devotees to climb up the hills late on Tuesday evening after a fresh forest fire was reported.Though the forest officials declared that the fire was put out around 5 a.m., the district administration allowed devotees only after 8 a.m. after ensuring that the hilly terrain was safe for the life of the devotees.The devotees were allowed only upto noon to ensure that they would return to the foothills by 6 p.m. after offering their prayers.Special puja and abishekams were performed to the presiding deities Sundaramahalingam and Santhanamahalingam. A large posse of police, fire and rescue services and forest personnel from Madurai and Virudhunagar districts were posted on the hilly terrain and foothills.Officials had made arrangements for drinking water and medical camps.Special buses were operated from various parts of Virudhunagar and Madurai districts.Meanwhile, thousands of devotees took a holy dip at the Agni Theertham along Rameswaram shore on Wednesday on the occasion of Aadi Amavasai.They also paid obiesance to their departed ancestors and bathed in the 22 theerthams.Devotees not only from different parts of Tamil Nadu, but also from neighbouring States like Kerala, Karnataka and Telagana had been arriving to the island since Tuesday night.Spadiga Linga puja was held at the Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram. The deity Parvathavarthini was taken on a procession on a golden palanquin.The devotees also offered prayers to deities Ram, Lakshmanan, Sita and Hanuman on the Agni Theertham seashore.Special bus services were operated to the island from various parts of the State.Devotees also thronged the seashores in Sethukarai, Devipattinam and Mariyoor to pay respects to their forefathers. Published - August 12, 2026 08:55 pm IST
