Chennai, Nov 30 (IANS) The Tiruvannamalai district administration in Tamil Nadu has prohibited devotees from climbing the Arunachaleswarar hill for this year’s Karthigai Deepam festival, citing heavy rainfall alerts and ongoing safety risks along the trekking path.

The order comes as the district is under an orange alert due to intense rain forecast linked to Cyclone Ditwah.

According to an official release, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has warned that the hill path remains unstable. Several loose rocks continue to pose a threat, particularly at central points where landslides had previously occurred. Authorities said these conditions make the traditional climb unsafe for the thousands of devotees who usually ascend the hill to witness the lighting of the Maha Deepam.

“Based on the cyclone alert and the expert committee report, climbing the hill by devotees is temporarily prohibited this year as well, for their safety,” the administration said in its statement.

Officials also urged devotees to cooperate fully with the safety restrictions and avoid attempting to climb the hill under any circumstances. The police, forest and revenue departments have been directed to maintain continuous surveillance along the climbing path to prevent unauthorised movement and ensure adherence to the ban.

Additional personnel are expected to be deployed during peak festival hours to manage crowd control in and around the temple town.

This year’s Karthigai Deepam festival began on November 24, and the most significant rituals are scheduled for December 3. The Bharani Deepam will be lit in the early hours of December 3 inside the Arunachaleswarar temple, followed by the Maha Deepam on the hilltop the same evening.

While the hilltop lighting will proceed as per tradition, devotees will be allowed to witness it only from the ground level. Memories of last year’s tragedy remain fresh in the minds of officials and devotees. In 2024, heavy rains triggered by Cyclone Michaung caused multiple landslides on the hill, resulting in the loss of seven lives. After the incident, authorities prohibited climbing for the remainder of the season, and expert teams later confirmed that the trail required extensive stabilisation work.

With the path still not fully restored and weather conditions worsening, officials decided once again to enforce a complete ban for the 2025 festival. The administration emphasised that the restrictions were implemented solely to protect lives and ensure that the sacred festival proceeds without incident, even if under modified arrangements.

–IANS

aal/dpb