Medians razed in Tiruvannamalai to make way for Ramar idol

It also showed the poor planning on the part of the organisers in calculating the space available on the proposed route to move the idol smoothly.

Bound for Bangalore from Korakottai village adjacent to Vandavasi in the district, the easiest route would have been to reach the Chennai–Bangalore National Highway at Villupuram from Gingee, which is hardly 30 km away. But the idol had to be rerouted via Tiruvannamalai and Chengam as the Archeological Department fearing damages to the historic Gingee fort refused to give permission to use the road to reach the National Highway. This was in-spite of the idol being chiseled out by one foot to reduce its width and halting for nearly nine days at the spot.

After the change in the route, the idol reached Tiruvannamalai town on Sunday evening. Collector KS Kandasamy welcomed it with 100 feet long garland and people started praying by performing aarthi and poojas to the idol. Mild tension was seen when local devotees objected to the police escort using footwear while climbing atop the idol at Tiruvannamalai.

Though the railway crossing on the Tindivanam Road in the town and the turning at the Periyar statue junction near the sub collector’s office road were expected to be bottlenecks, the convoy moved through these locations without a hitch. Problems started when it neared the traffic junction near the Collector’s office where medians prevented easy passage.

Officials used JCBs machines to remove the medians to ensure easy passage. Though officials said the organisers would pay for the damage caused, “the easiest way would have been for the organisers to check the proposed route with the idol’s dimensions and plan accordingly,” said an official under condition of anonymity. “Even in Chetpet town the idol had to halt for two days as the owners of a building which blocked its passage were away. The idol had to wait for their return to get their permission to demolish part of the building to continue its journey” a source said.

Meanwhile, Collector Kandasamy said, “the idol will be on its way to Chengam by Monday evening.”