The Tiruvannamalai district administration has made big arrangements for the Chitra Pournami festival. It will be held on Friday and Saturday, January 2 and 3, 2026, at the Arunachaleswar temple. About 25 lakh devotees are expected for the festival, which has grown in popularity, especially around New Year. The temple will be open from 6:11 p.m. on Friday to 4 a.m. on Saturday. Collector K. Tharpagaraj checked the plans for basic facilities and security. Tiruvannamalai Corporation Commissioner A. Selva Balaji told The Hindu, “A large number of sanitation workers will be deployed to keep the town clean during the festival. The police will prevent unauthorised parking along the town’s roads to enable smooth movement of devotees’ vehicles.” VIP dinner letters for special darshan are not allowed this year, and special darshan tickets of ₹50 have been cancelled. All devotees get free darshan. Senior citizens and pregnant women will have a separate queue. Battery-operated cars and special entry points are arranged for persons with disabilities. Medical camps will be active along the 14-km Girivalam path. More than 60 free toilets and 12 bathrooms will be available. The path will also have purified water taps, street lights, and backup power with eight heavy-duty generators. The Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) will run about 3,000 special buses to manage the crowd. To avoid dehydration, free buttermilk, water, biscuits, milk, tender coconuts, and fresh juices will be given to devotees. Annadanam (free food) is allowed on the Girivalam path, but the use of plastic items is banned. Devotees are encouraged to use cloth bags during the festival.