A steady drizzle did not dampen spirits at Tiruvannamalai on Wednesday. Thousands gathered at the Sri Arunachaleswarar Temple for the day-long Karthigai Deepam festival. The celebration began early with pujas and the lighting of the ‘Bharani Deepam’ at 4 a.m. Chief guests included Minister P.K. Sekarbabu and Collector K. Tharpagaraj. The highlight was the lighting of the ‘Maha Deepam’ at 6 p.m. atop Arunachala Hills. Devotee K. Prabhu said, "I regularly visit the temple town especially on Maha Deepam day. Despite mild rain, we managed to witness the lighting of lamp atop the hills. Availability of buses for return journeys remains a challenge." Visitors arrived in steady numbers since morning. Vehicles were parked about two kilometers from the temple. The Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation ran 180 shuttle buses at ₹10 per trip to ferry devotees between the temporary terminus, the 14-km Girivalam path, and the temple. Around 120 forest staff guarded the 700-hectare hills to protect the forest and stop devotees from climbing in unsafe spots. Police and forest officials were stationed at 13 points to ensure the safety of the Maha Deepam team and prevent forest fires. Security was high with 1,060 CCTV cameras monitoring crowds, including 303 inside the temple. Artificial Intelligence tools helped prevent overcrowding and stampedes. Wristbands were tied on children for their safety. The festival closed successfully with chanting and lights, upholding tradition and order.