Thai Poosam festival: Thousands witness Jyothi Darshan at Vadalur
The Hindu
Witness the 'Jyothi Darshan' at Sathya Gnana Sabha in Vadalur during the Thai Poosam festival.
Thousands of people witnessed the ‘Jyothi Darshan’ at Sathya Gnana Sabha founded by saint Ramalinga Adigalar, popularly known as Vallalar, at Vadalur on the occasion of Thai Poosam festival on January 25.
A large number of devotees from Tamil Nadu and neighbouring Puducherry thronged the Sathya Gnana Sabha on January 24 evening to have a glimpse of the holy light kept in the sanctum sanctorum.
Serving of free meal from the very kitchen where Vallalar lit the ever burning stove for preparing and serving food to the people who suffer due to hunger is a tradition here.
The Cuddalore district police had made elaborate arrangements to regulate the crowd and the traffic. About 10 watch towers with CCTVs were installed in various places in Vadalur to monitor the crowd.
Over 800 police personnel led by Deputy Inspector General of Police (Villupuram Range) Disha Mittal were deployed for security.
The Jyothi Darshan is considered a special event by the followers of the Samarasa Sutha Sanmarga Sathya Sangam because it is on that day that all the seven screens of different hues in the Sabha would be removed one after another to reveal the holy light of the lamp kept in the sanctum sanctorum. The organisers permitted the Jyothi Darshan at regular intervals: 10 a.m., 1 p.m., 7 p.m., and 10 p.m. on January 25 followed by 5.30 a.m. on January 26.
The Election Commission of India will hold a press conference on June 3, a day before the counting of votes polled in the Lok Sabha polls. Till the 2019 parliamentary polls, deputy election commissioners used to hold media briefings after each phase of polls, but the practice has been done away with.