DINDIGUL: The ban imposed on carrying mobile phones by devotees inside the Arulmigu Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple at Palani in Tamil Nadu’s Dindigul district came into force on Sunday. To aid devotees, the temple administration set up mobile phone deposit points where phones can be dropped off safely.
One of the six abodes of Lord Murugan, the Arulmigu Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple, sees hundreds of devotees every day not just from Tamil Nadu but also from other states and even countries.
With mobile phones already banned in many major temples across Tamil Nadu, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR and CE) department announced that mobile phones will not be permitted to be carried inside the Palani Murugan temple from October 1. It may be recalled that mobile phones have already been banned in the world-famous Meenakshi Amman temple in Madurai since 2018, following a fire accident there.
Devotees visiting the Palani hill temple now have to drop off their mobile phones at any one of the three mobile phone deposit points, which include the Padha Vinayagar temple, rope car, and winch train facilities located at the Palani temple ‘Adivaram’ (foothills). Devotees can pay Rs 5 and safely keep their mobile phones and cameras at these centres in shelves. The devotees will also be given a digital receipt. Separate staff who collect details and use computers to provide the receipts have been deployed.
On Sunday, HR and CE Commissioner KV Muralidharan visited the Palani Murugan temple and inspected the implementation of the ban on mobile phones. He examined the mobile phone deposit points at the ‘Adivaram’ (foothills), the rope car facility, and the facility for tonsuring of devotees for making offerings. He also enquired about the maintenance of the rope cars with the temple administrative officials.
One of the six abodes of Lord Murugan, the Arulmigu Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple, sees hundreds of devotees every day not just from Tamil Nadu but also from other states and even countries.
With mobile phones already banned in many major temples across Tamil Nadu, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR and CE) department announced that mobile phones will not be permitted to be carried inside the Palani Murugan temple from October 1. It may be recalled that mobile phones have already been banned in the world-famous Meenakshi Amman temple in Madurai since 2018, following a fire accident there.
Devotees visiting the Palani hill temple now have to drop off their mobile phones at any one of the three mobile phone deposit points, which include the Padha Vinayagar temple, rope car, and winch train facilities located at the Palani temple ‘Adivaram’ (foothills). Devotees can pay Rs 5 and safely keep their mobile phones and cameras at these centres in shelves. The devotees will also be given a digital receipt. Separate staff who collect details and use computers to provide the receipts have been deployed.
On Sunday, HR and CE Commissioner KV Muralidharan visited the Palani Murugan temple and inspected the implementation of the ban on mobile phones. He examined the mobile phone deposit points at the ‘Adivaram’ (foothills), the rope car facility, and the facility for tonsuring of devotees for making offerings. He also enquired about the maintenance of the rope cars with the temple administrative officials.
