At least three women devotees and four children reportedly fainted while standing in queue at the Sri Subramanian Swamy Temple in Thirupparankundram, Madurai, on Saturday (May 30, 2026).
The devotees had gathered in large numbers on the occasion of the annual ‘Vaikasi Visakam’ celebrations. The shrine, the first among the ‘Aarupadai Veedu’ temples of Lord Muruga, is a preferred destination for devotees from across Tamil Nadu and other States. Devotees from Singapore, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and several other countries also participated in the festival.
With the temperature hovering around 34 degrees Celsius, some women carrying infants expressed uneasiness and discomfort, having arrived at the temple as early as 6 a.m. “Not many of us had anything to eat. We only had a glass of buttermilk served here,” said Pavithra, a devotee from Madurai.
A few women, unable to bear the heat and having stood in a packed queue for over two hours, fainted, causing panic among the devotees. “Immediately, women police personnel removed them from the queue and provided water, following which they felt a little better,” a temple trustee told The Hindu.
The temple administration had made elaborate arrangements; however, some devotees standing in Mela Radha Veedhi expressed displeasure. A man who identified himself as Ayyasamy, 78, from Melur asked, “Can’t they provide a separate enclosure for senior citizens? We were not carrying any ‘kaavadi’. We just want to have darshan of the deity on this important occasion,” he said.
Another devotee, Prashant from Karur, said that the temple administration had permitted vehicles of some “VVIPs,” while many devotees had to trek a long distance as TNSTC buses dropped passengers on the Madurai-Thiruparankundram Road itself. From there, devotees had to walk at least 1 km to join the queue, he added.
Many NGOs and Hindu outfits, including the Hindu Munnani, Hindu Baktha Sabhas, and other trusts, have set up shamianas and have been serving prasadam to visitors, including buttermilk and water. Former AIADMK minister R.B. Udayakumar was seen serving prasadam to devotees along with his supporters.
The temple administration said that it had provided basic facilities such as potable water and washrooms.
Published - May 30, 2026 12:38 pm IST
festivals / health / religion and belief
Source: The Hindu - India News
