A sharp increase in the number of devotees travelling to Sri Mariamman temple at Samayapuram on foot has raised concern about their safety as they walk along one of the busiest stretches of the national highway near Tiruchi.
| Photo Credit: M. SRINATH
Exponential increase in growth of devotees, who undertake padayatra (pilgrimage by foot), to Sri Mariamman Temple in Samayapuram, has highlighted the need to pave a dedicated pedestrian lane along the Tiruchi-Chennai highway between Tiruchi and Samayapuram.
Chithirai festival, Poochorithal festival (flower sprinkling festival), and Thaipoosam festival are among the major festivals celebrated at Sri Mariamman Temple. All three major festivals attract huge crowds.
The number of devotees, who attended the annual Chithirai Car festivals about 25 years ago, was just in the thousands. But it went up gradually over the years. According to a rough estimate, the turnout at the recently concluded Chithirai Car festival was three lakh.
Similar was the case in Poochorithal festival. The festival begins on the last Sunday of the Tamil month of Masi and ends on the last Sunday of Panguni. It attracts thousands of devotees. Carrying flowers they travel to the temple on foot to shower flowers on the Goddess. Thaipoosam festival also attracts a large number of devotees.
The number of devotees, who went on padayatra to the temple from different parts of the district and the neighbouring districts about three decades ago, was nominal. The number of vehicles plying on the Tiruchi-Chennai was less during that period. But the situation had witnessed a seachange over the years. There has been an exponential growth in the number of devotees, who undertake padayatra and the vehicle population.
The devotees, who go on padayatra, walk in day and night along the Tiruchi-Chennai highway and other roads heading to Samayapuram. The people with deep devotion do not bother about weather conditions. In the absence of a dedicated lane for pedestrians, they walk along the road. But the constant increase in the number of devotees, who use extremely busy roads to reach the temple on foot, has raised concern about their safety.
Rising accidents
There were a few accidents in which vehicles hit the devotees on padayatra in the recent past. Five devotees died when a vehicle hit them at Valampakudi in Thanjavur district in July last year.
“Devotees, who undertake padayatra, hardly take rest enroute as they want to complete the vow or offering as early as possible. They could be seen walking along the national highways in the early hours. If there is a dedicated pedestrian lane, they can go for the pilgrimage by foot without much danger. The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the State Highways should form dedicated lanes for facilitating safe pilgrimage,” says K. Janardhanan, a road safety activist of Bheema Nagar in Tiruchi.
He said that a 10-km stretch between Tiruchi and Samayapuram had turned into a danger zone as devotees from different parts of the southern and western regions culminate on the highway at No. 1 Tollgate to head towards the temple. Hence, on a pilot basis, the NHAI should take steps to form a dedicated pedestrian path from No 1 Tollgate to Samayapuram.
Published – April 18, 2025 08:34 pm IST
