At least seven people were reportedly injured after a 60-foot temple chariot toppled during the annual Mayana Kollai festival in Tamil Nadu's Vellore district. The festival was being held on the banks of the Palar River. The chariot reportedly lost balance and tilted sideways. Around 10 people were trapped under it. The exact moment of the incident was captured on camera and the video also surfaced online.
The injured were immediately rushed to the Government Medical College Hospital in Adukkamparai. Senior officials also rushed to the spot after receiving the information. The incident took place around midnight when the chariot from Kazhinjur near Katpadi was being pulled from the riverbed onto the road after the ritual procession, reported ANI.
Exact Moment Of The Incident:
District Collector Subbulakshmi, Superintendent of Police Sivaraman, and Revenue Divisional Officer Senthil Kumar also visited the spot of the incident. She later met the injured persons at the hospital. An inquiry has been ordered into the matter.
The Mayana Kollai festival is one of the prominent annual events in the Vellore district. It was held on the Palar riverbank on Sunday evening. As part of the celebrations, deities from 10 villages were decorated, then placed on temple chariots. These chariots were taken in procession to the riverbed where devotees performed traditional rituals and offerings.
Following the accident, villagers from Kazhinjur retrieved only the idol from the tilted chariot and took it back to their village, reported the news agency.
Notably, the government has issued regulations regarding the dimensions of the chariots. As per these guidelines, the chariot should not exceed 12 feet in height. However, during the Mayana Kollai festival, chariots from Virudhambattu, Kazhinjur, and Mottur are reportedly around 60 feet tall.
