Resident volunteers in Triplicane pick up the broom to clear Deepavali cracker waste

Clearing the Mada streets in Triplicane of Deepavali cracker waste should have been a breeze for conservancy workers thanks to a bunch of resident-volunteers.

Every year on Deepavali, there is a tradition at Sri Parthasarathy Swami Temple of taking the deity on a procession around the four mada streets and tank streets.

To welcome the deity, devotees light lamps and burst crackers on the road before the event starts, making it a challenge for those part of the procession to navigate the littered streets.

For the first time, a group of residents and SYMA members swept the streets, leaving the cracker waste in corners so that those carrying the deity can walk safely and comfortably.

Sanjeevi Raghunathan, president, SYMA, says it was their member, S. Sampath Kumar, who initiated this clean-up exercise last year. He did it all alone, and this year Sampath motivated us to do it as a group.

Sanjeevi says on Deepavali most of the residents around Mada streets reserve their crackers for a bout of bursting during Sri Parthasarathy Perumal purappadu. Residents from neighbouring streets also come near the temple to burst crackers and many devotees are in attendance to witness the spectacle.

The procession started around 6.15 p.m. and went on till 10.40 p.m. Armed with brooms, volunteers cleared the path for the procession.

“Most of those who carry the deity walk barefoot, and many a time the crackers are not lit off completely or hard objects hurt their feet. By sweeping the area to clear cracker debris, we made the path safe and clear for the procession, especially for those reciting prabhandam in the front,” he says.

While the volunteers swept the streets of cracker litter, Urbaser Sumeet staff helped gather the waste making it a coordinated exercise.

Sanjeevi says they want to continue doing this service in the coming years and also involve more volunteers.