Madurai (Tamil Nadu) [India], Mar 27 : The famed Panguni festival of Madurai Thiruparankundram Subramanya Swamy temple situated here has been cancelled this year in view of the novel coronavirus outbreak.
Like each year, this festival was expected to attract thousands of devotees from Thiruparankundram and nearby areas.
The festival is observed in the Tamil month of Panguni and is celebrated in honour of the Hindu god Muruga. Devotees make offerings to Lord Muruga with sacrificial feats they believe will keep them away from evil spirits.
The Centre has enforced a complete nationwide lockdown so that citizens refrain from coming in contact with persons/surfaces infected with COVID-19 which was first reported in Wuhan, China, and soon spread across the globe.
According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), the cases of infections are on a rise every day and according to latest update the number of coronavirus cases rose to 724 in the country.
( With inputs from ANI )