Madurai, Sept 15:
Madurai is gearing up for the grand consecration of the Meenakshi Amman Temple on September 17, with elaborate arrangements being made at the temple and across the city to accommodate devotees expected to arrive from different parts of Tamil Nadu.
The consecration rituals have entered the final phase, with preliminary ceremonies having begun on September 11. Yagasala pujas are being conducted at a specially erected facility on North Adi Street, where homams are being performed amid Vedic chants by around 400 Sivacharyas. The rituals will continue in the run-up to the main consecration ceremony on Thursday.
As part of the temple’s decoration, around five tonnes of flowers have arrived from different parts of the country and from overseas, besides locally sourced flowers. The consignment includes sampangi, red, white and pink oleander, iru-vatchi, and marigolds in yellow, white and orange, along with colourful anthuriums.
The flowers have been kept at the Puthu Mandapam, where around 50 workers are engaged in making garlands and floral decorations. The first phase of the decoration involves preparing garlands for the four major gopurams, with the floral arrangements reaching heights of around 175 feet. The final phase will cover the sanctum sanctorums and the temple flagstaff area. The flowers have been selected for their ability to retain their freshness and fragrance for longer periods.
With a large number of devotees expected to travel to Madurai for the historic event, the State Transport Department has announced special bus services from several parts of Tamil Nadu. Fifty special buses will operate from the Kilambakkam bus terminus in Chennai to Madurai on Wednesday, a day before the consecration.
Additional services will operate from Coimbatore and Tiruppur, with 30 buses each, while 30 buses each will run from Ramanathapuram, Sivakasi, Rajapalayam and Theni. Thirty buses will also operate from Aruppukkottai, while 10 will be operated from Virudhunagar and 20 each from Dindigul.
Special services have also been planned within the Madurai region. Twenty buses each will operate from Tirumangalam, Melur, Tiruppuvanam, Vadipatti, Natham, Poovanthi and Usilampatti to facilitate the movement of devotees to the city.
The transport arrangements are aimed at ensuring that devotees from different parts of the State can reach Madurai conveniently for the consecration. The large-scale floral decorations and additional transport services are part of the wider preparations being undertaken as the city gets ready for the major religious event.
The Meenakshi Amman Temple’s consecration, scheduled for September 17, is being held after a gap of 17 years, making the occasion particularly significant for devotees. Authorities have been stepping up arrangements relating to transport, security and crowd management as the city prepares for the expected influx.