Tamil Nadu Police had prohibited Tamil Hindu devotees from Pasiyaapuram village near Keezhadi in Thiribuvanam in Sivaganga district from traveling to Madurai district to take a holy dip in the Vaigai river, a 30-year-old tradition.
On the auspicious Tamil day of ‘Thaipusam’, the people of Keezadi and Pasiyapuram villages in Sivanganga district take a dip in the Vaigai river near the Silaimaan area in Madurai district, bringing milk, Karagam, and Kavadi and completing their rituals in nearby Murugan temples.
In this situation, the Tamil Hindu devotees who went to take a bath and complete their rituals in the Vaigai river yesterday were stopped by the Silaimaan police and were barred from entering the Madurai district.
The devotees were astounded to see that the Silaimaan Police had barricaded the border and assembled in large numbers in front of the location where they perform their usual rituals.
The Tamil Hindu devotees were granted permission by the Police after a fierce struggle, but they refused permission to go to the Vaigai river near the Silaimaan graveyard to perform their rituals. However, the devotees were granted permission only after they threatened to protest.
Sivaprasad, the SP of Madurai, stated, “When I became aware of the situation, I directed the Madurai police to allow the devotees to complete their rituals. I also instructed the Silaimaan police to prevent similar incidents in the future.”
Sankarapandi, a devotee, stated, “We’ve been taking Karagam and dipping it in the Vaigai river near Silaimaan for 27 years. Why should the Madurai police come here and stop us after we have obtained formal permission from the Thirubhuvanam police station?”
(With inputs from Dinamalar)
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