Mangala Devi Chitra Pournami festival: Entry timings, route changes, restrictions announced
Devotees attending the Chitra Pournami festival at Mangala Devi Temple must adhere to strict entry and exit timings. Photography and videography are prohibited, and the use of drones is punishable.
Devotees attending the Chitra Pournami festival at Mangala Devi Temple must adhere to strict entry and exit timings. Photography and videography are prohibited, and the use of drones is punishable.
Devotees attending the Chitra Pournami festival at Mangala Devi Temple must adhere to strict entry and exit timings. Photography and videography are prohibited, and the use of drones is punishable.
Idukki: Devotees attending the Chitra Pournami festival at the Mangala Devi Temple, located inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve, will be allowed entry from 6 am on May 1. Entry into the forest area will close at 2.30 pm, and all devotees must exit by 5 pm after darshan. Night stay inside the forest is strictly prohibited.
Trip jeeps operating from the Kumily bus stand will be permitted between 5.30 am and 1.45 pm. Two-wheelers and tractors are not allowed, and all vehicles must adhere to the stipulated timings.
Four counters will function at the Kumily bus stand on April 29 and 30 for issuing passes to trip jeeps and conducting fitness inspections. The fare for a one-way journey has been fixed at ₹200 per passenger.
Changes in entry, exit routes
Authorities have introduced changes in traffic movement this year. The route used as the exit last year will now serve as the entry route, with queue systems in place to prevent crowding.
Facilities such as footwear storage, food distribution, and drinking water will be arranged outside the temple premises. Medical teams from Kerala and Tamil Nadu will be stationed at the site to provide emergency care. Adequate toilet facilities will also be available.
Authorities have also barred dance performances and the display or distribution of publicity materials in any language within the forest area and temple premises.
Strict restrictions in place
Plastic bottles below five litres, plastic covers, and aluminium foil are prohibited inside the forest. Devotees have been advised to carry food wrapped in banana leaves, and only vegetarian food will be permitted.
Alcohol and narcotic substances are strictly banned. Cooking and bursting of crackers inside the forest are not allowed.
Photography and videography are prohibited, and the use of drones is punishable. Loudspeakers, amplifiers, and other sound-producing equipment are also banned.
Devotees have been instructed not to bring hay or other inflammable materials, and pets are not allowed inside the forest area.