The Malappuram district administration has asked the organisers of the Mahamagham festival, to be held on the banks of the Bharathapuzha at Tirunavaya, to submit a fool-proof action plan to ensure safety and security.
The festival, which will be inaugurated by Governor Rajendra Arlekar on Monday, will continue until February 3. With thousands of devotees expected to attend the event, safety arrangements remain a key concern, District Collector V.R. Vinod said.
He said that the District Disaster Management Authority had convened a meeting and sought active coordination with the organisers to ensure comprehensive safety measures throughout the festival.
The district administration had issued a stop memo halting the construction of a temporary bamboo bridge across the river, for the festival. However, the move triggered widespread protests and was viewed from different perspectives.
“Safety alone was our concern. We have sought complete details of the bridge, including the number of people it can safely accommodate at a time,” said Mr. Vinod.
He said water pollution was also a major concern for the administration, as thousands of people depend on the Bharathapuzha for their water needs. “We must ensure that the river is not polluted under any circumstances,” the Collector said.
According to the organisers, they have responded positively to the district administration’s directives. The Collector’s 21-point guideline includes instructions on the use of the temporary bridge across the river, along with other logistical arrangements for the two-week-long festival.
The festival had courted controversy a few days ago after the authorities issued the stop memo at the last minute, as alleged by the organisers. One of the organisers said they had approached the authorities as early as November seeking permission for the festival, but the matter remained pending for months before an action plan was sought at the eleventh hour.
The festival is expected to attract thousands of sanyasins from various parts of the country, particularly south India. The organisers have been projecting the event as south India’s Kumbh Mela. They said elaborate arrangements have been put in place, including facilities for parking, crowd management, food and drinking water supply, and river safety.
The Governor will inaugurate the event by hoisting the sacred flag at 11 a.m. on Monday. A Mahameru Ratha Yatra, or sacred chariot procession, will also be taken out from Tamil Nadu to Tirunavaya on the same day.
From January 19 to February 3, Navakoti Narayana Japarchana will be held at the Mahamagha venue. Devotee groups arriving with sacred lamps from various temples will be offered Magha Vrisham and saplings of the sacred peepal tree (Ashwatha), believed to be the seat of protective deities, as prasadam. The festival will conclude on February 3, the auspicious Makham Nakshatra day in the month of Magha, with Amrita Snanam (holy ceremonial bath) in the morning, followed by Yati Pooja.
Published – January 17, 2026 08:32 pm IST
