District administration steps up security, logistics for Nagore Santhanakoodu festival

Elaborate security and logistical arrangements have been put in place by thecc district administration and the Nagore Dargah Committee to ensure the smooth conduct of the Santhanakoodu festival, which culminates with the Periya Kandhuri procession around 4.30 a.m. on Monday.

District officials said the festival is expected to draw over 15,000 devotees, many of them from Kerala, Karnataka and Puducherry, along with regular visitors associated with the Dargah’s annual vazhi kattuthal tradition.

A full bandobast arrangement has been planned, with approximately 1,200 police personnel deployed across Nagore and Nagapattinam. Personnel from Tiruvarur, Thanjavur and Mayiladuthurai districts will also be roped in to strengthen the security grid.

Each of the 13 floats participating in the procession will have a dedicated security team led by an Inspector of Police. The police will manage the entire procession route, oversee crowd control, regulate traffic and ensure round-the-clock monitoring.

Senior officers, including the Tiruchi DIG, will be present to supervise the security arrangements, while the Nagapattinam Superintendent of Police will coordinate operations on the ground.

To handle the festive rush, special trains will operate on November 30 (Sunday) and December 1 (Monday), with stoppages at Tambaram, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Tirupadripuliyur, Chidambaram, Mayiladuthurai, Peralam, Karaikal, Nagore and Nagapattinam.

The Tamil Nadu government has arranged medical camps, while special buses will operate from Thanjavur, Tiruchi, Pudukkottai, Ramanathapuram, Tiruvannamalai, Chennai, Thoothukudi, Thiruthani, and from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry.

The Dargah Committee has also set up drinking water points, sanitation facilities and temporary toilets for devotees.

Speaking to The Hindu, Collector P. Akash said the administration was maintaining “a very close watch” in view of possible rain in the region. “All comprehensive measures have been taken to ensure no local flooding occurs. The municipality has also made extensive arrangements for basic amenities.”

Although footfall has been comparatively lower in the early days of the festival, officials expect crowds to swell during the Kandhuri.

The district administration has declared December 1, 2025, a local holiday in view of the festival. Academic examinations, however, will be held as scheduled, and December 13, 2025, has been declared a working day in lieu of the holiday, the Collector said.