Only those with a pass would be allowed to pull the four vadams (ropes) of the temple car during the temple car festival of the Swarnamurtheeswarar Temple in Kandadevi, Devakottai, which is to be held on July 8, informed officials during the preparatory meeting held here on Wednesday.  

As the festival is to commence at 6 a.m. on July 8, the devotees were instructed to avail passes prior to the event from the office of Deputy Superintendent of Police. 

Further, devotees were informed to refrain from using caste identifications through shirt, dhoti, threads or shawls.  

Only white shirt and white dhoti would be permitted for participating in the event, informed officials.

Those willing to pull the ropes should submit the photocopies of Aadhar card along with their phone numbers on or before June 24.  

The Kandadevi temple car came to a halt in 1998, after Scheduled Caste people asserted their right to pull it, and since then, the car festival has been mired in controversy. The car was pulled once in 2006, but the practice was once again halted and has not been taken up since then. The highlight of the Aani festival of the temple, managed by Sivaganga Samasthanam, is the car festival.  

The renovation of the temple was later taken up, and was completed in 2012. Subsequently, the authorities decided to replace the old car. A new car was built and the temple festival was conducted on June 21, 2024, after 17 years, following the direction from the Madras High Court.