Coronavirus in Tamil Nadu: Sirasu festival at Gudiyattam Gangai Amman temple cancelled

VELLORE: The sirasu festival at Gangai Amman temple in Gudiyattam has been cancelled after the Vellore district administration denied permission to conduct it due to Covid-19.
The festival was scheduled for May 14.
Vellore district collector A Shanmuga Sundaram said, “All religious festivals are cancelled due to Covid-19 outbreak. So the Gangai Amman temple festival in Gudiyattam will not be permitted this year.People of all faiths and religions are requested to cooperate with the district administration.”
Temple trustee R G Sampath said the sirasu festival had been celebrated at the temple in a grand manner for more than 400 years.
Devotees from different parts of Vellore, other districts and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh participate in the festival.
K Ramaprabha, 48, of Vellore, who regularly participates in the festival, said, “It is disappointing that this year’s festival has been cancelled due to the epidemic. We request the district administration to give a special permission to conduct the sirasu festival once the lockdown is lifted.”