Hundreds of people gathered at Petchiamman Padithurai on the Southern Bank of Vaigai River to perform rituals to their ancestors on Sunday on the occasion of Aadi Amavasai.
With all temples remained barred for devotees in view of COVID-19 threat, the devotees had gathered on Petchiamman Padithurai.
Two priests performed the rituals for every people in batches of 50 to 60 persons.
“None of them had worn face mask or maintained physical distance,” said one of the local persons, V.N. Ganesan.
People had thronged the riverbed from 4.30 a.m. The crowd looked disciplined till the day break when scores of people gathered for the weekly poultry market on the riverbank.
“As the people coming to sell and buy poultry birds and pigeons too gathered in large numbers the entire South Bank Road was choked,” he added.
Some of those who had gone to Vaigai Riverbed near Kalpalam were chased away by the police. However, that crowd too had trickled into Petchiamman Padithurai.
Later, a team of police personnel chased all rhose who had come for the rituals and the poultry market from the river bank road.
Meanwhile, the ban on entry for devotees into Sathuragiri hills rendered Thaniparai foothills deserted. Thousands of devotees would visit Sundaramahalingam Temple for the Aadi Amavasai festival.
