Chennai, Jan 1 (Representative) The people of this teeming megapolis bid bye bye to2023, ushered in the New year 2024 with spiritual fervour and traditional gaiety. As the clock struck 12, shouts of ‘Happy New Year’ rent the air, asthousands of people, who had congregated at the Marina beachushered in the 2024 in high ‘spirits’. People exchanged pleasantries by greeting each other, with musicsongs and dance events playing at the background. After a rather low key celebrations over the last couple of years dueto COVID pandemic, the festivities are back to its usual self on the Marina with people thronging in large numbers, reminiscing thepre-COVID days. It was a sea of humanity at the Marina beach front as the millingcrowd celebrated the occasion with fervour. The new year was also celebrated by various residential associationswith bursting of crackers amid police restrictions. Police have made elabroate security arrangements and more than18,000 police personnel were deployed on security duty in the city,including at the Marina and ECR stretch. Milling crowds were seen in several hotels and shopping mallsand at theme parks to celebrate the new year. Police had imposed stringent regulations on hotels to ensure thatno untoward incident happened. People ushered in the new year by drawing colourful rangolis infront of their houses. Special midnight masses were held in various churches acrossthe state and the churches were tastefully decorated and illuminatedto mark the occasion.
Thousands of faithfuls thronged the Santhome Basilica in the cityand at Velankanni church in Besant Nagar. Special poojas and abhishekams were also held at various templesacross the State which were also illuminated and decorated. People attired in new clothes thronged temples early in the morningto offer worship. A large crowd were seen in temples, including at the famous SriParthasarathy temple, Lord Kapaleeswarar temple and at LordMuruga temple at Vadapalani, Goddess Ashta Lakshmi Temple and Arupadai Murugar Temple at Besant Nagar in the city and at Thiruvidanthai Nithya Kalyana Perumal temple near Mamallapuramand in all temples. Elsewhere in the state, a large number of people offered prayersat the ancient Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam, Lord Varadharajaswamy temple at Kancheepuram, Goddess Meenakshi Amman temple at Madurai, Goddess Kamatchi Amman temple in Kancheepuram and at Sri Ramanathaswamy temple at Rameswaramand at various Vaishnavite temples in and around Kumbakonam rightfrom the morning. A large number of people also offered prayers in all the Navagrahatemples. Huge crowds were also seen in all the six abodes of Lord Murugaas devotees thronged in large numbers to offer prayers. All mosques in the city, including the 1000 Lights mosque were alsoilluminated to mark the New Year.