Pilgrims who arrived on foot at the Tiruchendur Subramaniya Swamy Temple for the Thaipusam festival have alleged severe mismanagement and mistreatment by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department (HR&CE), leading to widespread distress among padayatra devotees.
Despite Thaipusam being an annual event that draws tens of thousands of devotees, pilgrims alleged that no adequate advance arrangements were made by the HR&CE administration. Only a limited number of police personnel were reportedly deployed, leaving authorities unable to regulate the swelling crowds. Devotees said that even when crowd pressure intensified and people were pushed against one another, officials failed to intervene effectively.
Several devotees, speaking on camera, accused the administration of allowing preferential access while ordinary pilgrims were made to wait for hours without basic facilities. One devotee alleged that entry was being granted after collecting money under the guise of stickers, while others were denied access. “They put a sticker on our (padayatra devotees) wrist, but they collect money and let people in. But here, we are not allowed,” a pilgrim said.
Others complained of the lack of basic amenities. “For 12 hours, they haven’t even provided drinking water,” one devotee said, questioning the preparedness of the authorities.
Pilgrims also alleged discriminatory enforcement of queue norms. “They said everyone should go through the common queue, then why are some allowed to go in freely? We are standing here crushed like cattle. If VIPs go inside, we are left standing outside,” another devotee said, adding that many had walked long distances and were exhausted to the point of fainting.
Some devotees said they were misled by officials at earlier checkpoints. “In Kumarapalayam they told us that showing the token (tag) would allow immediate entry. But when we came here, they made us wait for hours. If we question them, no one responds properly,” a pilgrim said, directly blaming the administration under HR&CE Minister Sekar Babu and alleging that no official came forward to address the crowd.
According to devotees, temple gates were opened late, and even senior citizens were asked to leave the queue after waiting for hours. “They opened the gates only at 1 am. At 2:30 am, even elderly devotees were told there would be no darshan and were sent out,” one pilgrim said, adding that there was still no drinking water or other facilities, even as VIP and special darshan entrants were continuously allowed inside.
Many devotees were eventually seen sitting on the ground due to exhaustion. Questioning the slow pace of entry, one pilgrim remarked, “If they let people in five by five after making everyone sit for an hour, when will darshan happen? We are not here to see a movie actor. We have come to see the Lord. They say abhishekam is going on, that is exactly what we have come for.”
It is noteworthy that the Thaipusam festival in Palani witnessed massive crowds on Sunday, 1 February 2026, as lakhs of devotees from districts including Tiruchirappalli, Madurai and Coimbatore, and from states such as Kerala, thronged the town. Many undertook padayatra, carried kavadi and performed alagu piercing, with queues forming from as early as 2 AM to reach the hill temple. With paid darshan cancelled, waiting times stretched to nearly six hours. Despite a one-way system and batch movement, severe congestion occurred, leading to several devotees fainting. Police rescued those who collapsed. Devotees also reported hardship due to inadequate drinking water and toilet facilities.
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