Thu Dec 12 19:28:56 UTC 2024: ## Tiruvannamalai’s Maha Deepam Preparations Underway Despite Landslide

**TIRUVANNAMALAI, December 13, 2024** – Despite a recent landslide that killed seven people, preparations for the annual Maha Deepam festival in Tiruvannamalai are proceeding. Authorities have implemented strict security measures to prevent unauthorized access to Arunachala Hills, where the giant lamp will be lit.

On Thursday, a team of 20 people, specially permitted by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department, carried a five-foot-tall cauldron weighing approximately 175 kg to the summit. This is in preparation for Friday’s lighting of the Maha Deepam. The team used a designated pathway, avoiding the landslide area, and their passes were rigorously checked by forest department officials.

The HR&CE has also arranged for the transportation of 600 kg of ghee, 10 kg of camphor, 1,500 meters of cotton cloth, and a 15-foot bamboo stick to the hilltop. These supplies will be carried by traditional local fishermen, known historically as Sivapadavar (ardent followers of Lord Shiva), who have been entrusted with this task for centuries. One fisherman, K. Saravana Muthu, highlighted the generational continuity of their involvement.

District Forest Officer Yogesh Kumar Garg confirmed that 28 teams have been deployed to prevent unauthorized climbing, along with the creation of a 10 km fire line to prevent forest fires. The government, after the landslide, has restricted access to the hills, permitting only those directly involved in the Maha Deepam ceremony. The sacred ash, collected after the 11-day burning, will be distributed to devotees after three months. The lighting of the Maha Deepam is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday.

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