India

Devotees Barred from Climbing Arunachala Hills on Maha Deepam Due to Safety Concerns

By The Hindu Bureau

For the third consecutive year, devotees have been prohibited from climbing the Arunachala Hills near the Arunachaleswara temple in Tiruvannamalai on Maha Deepam, which falls on November 24. District Collector Vandhana Garg explained to reporters that the ban was enacted after forecasts of heavy rain. "The decision to prohibit devotees from climbing the hills has been taken to ensure the safety of people’s lives. Around 50 lakh devotees are expected to visit the temple town during Karthigai Deepam festival," Ms. Garg said. In 2024, the ban was enforced after seven people, including children, died in a landslip triggered by cyclone Fengal. An eight‑member expert team led by Professor K. Premalatha, Head of the Centre for Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering at Anna University, climbed the 2,668‑foot hill with police, forest and revenue officials to assess its condition. They reported that the terrain was wet and the soil remained loose after recent heavy rains following the monsoon. Revenue officials have issued eviction notices to about 1,400 families living in the hills to vacate their houses for safety. "Relocation of people living in the hills to temporary shelters in the town will be done in the coming weeks, especially after Maha Deepam as heavy rains are expected later this month," a revenue official said. The officials clarified that a group of local fishermen, who traditionally light the lamp atop the hills on Maha Deepam, will be allowed to climb. "The ritual of lighting the lamp atop the hills will continue as per tradition. We will check the special passes issued to them by the Collector to climb the hills on that day," said a forest official. The fishermen will carry a cauldron weighing 175 kg, 750 kg of ghee, 10 kg of camphor, and about 300 metres of cotton cloth as the wick to light the ‘Kopparai’. They will use the traditional route they have trekked for generations. In the past, the district administration issued special passes to about 2,500 people to climb the hills on Maha Deepam, but the Forest Department opposed this after the 2024 landslip. The hills are now divided into eastern and western parts, covering 698.03 hectares. The landslip occurred on the eastern side near the pathway used by devotees. Published - November 06, 2026 12:20 am IST