6 months ago
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The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department has said that continuous LED lighting, which could make vigor connected idols of deities of Arunachaleswara Temple volition not impact priceless ornaments, including golden jewellery, worn by deities during temple procession arsenic portion of the Karthigai Deepam festival.
It comes successful the aftermath of a conception of devotees and residents successful the temple municipality fearing that LED lighting, which goes for hours, connected the idols during procession could person an adverse effect connected their ornaments. “Unlike accepted lights, LED lights are much environmentally friendly. It provides much brightness during procession, providing devotees a glimpse of deities. The fearfulness of vigor generated from specified lights connected deities ornaments is unfounded,” a HR&CE authoritative told The Hindu.
In his petition to assorted stakeholders including Collector K. Tharpagaraj and Joint Commissioner, HR&CE (Tiruvannamalai) a week ago, R. Ellumalai, territory secretary, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) claimed that galore residents and devotees person complained astir the adverse interaction of LED lights connected deities’ ornaments.
Such continuous vigor could harm the prime of jewellery worn by deities implicit a play of time. Most of the LED lights were straight focused connected the idols, which are made up of a operation of 5 metals — copper, zinc, tin, gold, and silver.
HR&CE officials said arsenic per tradition, deities were taken connected processions successful antithetic chariots and mounts connected the Mada Streets astir the temple during the fortnight-long festival, culminating into lighting of the Maha Deepam atop the 2,668-ft. hillock. It volition beryllium followed by the three-day interval festival (Theppa Thiruvizha).
On an average, the processions volition commencement astir 10 p.m and get completed earlier sunrise. Temple officials said that anterior to the pandemic (COVID-19), accepted bulbs connected the bamboo arch supra the idols were utilized during the procession. However, aft resumption of specified procession aft the pandemic, temple authorities decided to regenerate sodium vapour bulbs with LED lights to supply much brightness.
Reaffirming HR&CE contention, seasoned goldsmiths besides said that continuous lighting connected deities’ ornaments does not person immoderate interaction connected the prime of the jewellery and metals including golden and metallic utilized successful it. “Hours of LED lights-induced heating connected deities’ jewellery of assorted metals volition not impact its quality. A flimsy colour alteration among golden jewellery could occur. However, conscionable washing volition reconstruct its(ornaments) archetypal splendour,” said V. Vishwanathan, President, Vellore District Goldsmith Association.
At present, Tiruvannamalai municipality gets astir 3 lakh visitors connected Chitra Pournami days and 1.5 lakh tourists connected weekends. During Maha Deepam festival past December (2024), astir 40 lakh visitors came to the town. Most pilgrims are from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
