Fire mishaps in Hindu temples have, over the years, exposed serious gaps in safety preparedness, crowd management, and maintenance practices in many historic shrines across India. Temples—many centuries old, built largely of stone, but filled with wooden vahanas, cloth decorations, oil lamps, and thatched festival structures—are inherently vulnerable to fire hazards. When combined with large crowds, congested pathways, temporary stalls, and improper electrical wiring, even a small spark can quickly escalate into a disaster.The unexpected fire mishap of 2018 at Madurai temple near the entrance of East Tower served as a warning for the temple administration across the state. Countless shops on the temple premises posed a threat to the temple's safety in terms of fire hazard and theft of idols.
Madurai temple,fire mishap
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| Madurai Meenakshi temple, North tower. scroll.in |
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| Madurai temple,fire mishap East tower hindustantimes.com |
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| Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple, fire mishap, 2018.oneindia.com |
Above image: In the fire mishap taken place in February 2018 at Madurai Meenakshi temple, the heritage hall - 400-year-old Veera Vasantha Raja Mandapam, temple’s East Wing. covering 7,000 sq ft suffered severe damages, Ornate pillars became defaced, many collapsed triggering fall of ceiling. There was a mini bazaar with more than 100 shops operating, many selling non puja items like plastic toys, fancy jewelry, etc. They defied the fire regulations with impunity. Parts of the hall’s roof and a few intricately-carved pillars collapsed, reported The Hindu. Reason for the mishap: 01.Over density of shops in the hall, 02. Short-circuit in a shop due to illegal connection - drawing power from adjacent shops
One of the most sighed incidents is the Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple fire of February 2018, where a short-circuit in an illegally powered shop ignited a blaze in the 400-year-old Veera Vasantha Raja Mandapam. Over 35 shops were gutted, intricately carved pillars collapsed, and a heritage hall suffered irreversible damage. The presence of more than 100 shops—most selling non-religious items—inside the premises, loose wiring drawn from adjacent stalls, and the near-total absence of fire-fighting devices, highlighted the human negligence that contributed to the mishap.
Thanjavur Brihadeeswarar Temple fire of 1997
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| Thanjavur big temple. trekearth.com |
Above image: Many religious shrines in Tamil Nadu lack fire safety and are not provided with firefighting equipments and emergency exits.Historical Temples such as Tiruvannamalai, Nellaiappar,Andal temple like the 11th century Chola monument and UNESCO World Heritage Site Thanjavur big temple are lacking in fire-safety measures emergency exits.......
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| Big temple,Yagasala deccanherald.com |
The Thanjavur Brihadeeswarar Temple fire of 1997, on the eve of Kumbabishekam, turned deadly when a firecracker landed on a thatched yagasala roof. Dry palm leaves caught fire instantly, and with only a single exit open, the panic-stricken crowd surged toward the doorway, triggering a stampede that killed 55 people. The tragedy underscored an old yet persistent problem: many large temples have only one operational gateway due to security concerns, and inner prakarams remain congested with festival paraphernalia.
Massive fire Paravur temple,Kerala
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| Massive fire Paravur temple,Kerala indiatimes.com |
Outside Tamil Nadu, the Puttingal Temple fireworks disaster at Paravur, north of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala (2016) was among the worst. Unauthorized competitive firework displays caused massive explosions, killing 100+ people and injuring hundreds more. The incident was rooted in the lack of regulation, inadequate barricading, and violation of licensing norms for storing explosives. According to Business Standard State officials who had raised objections over the proposed fireworks show were 'bullied' by politicians and groups
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| fire mishap,Thrissur Pooram festival 2016 newindianexpress.com |
Above image: After an explosion during fireworks display at Puttingal Temple on April 2016 claimed 111 lives, a ban was imposed on fireworks in the state.Though the Supreme Court granted permission to conduct fireworks display at Thekkinkadu Maidan, as part of the renowned Thrissur Pooram, the Petroleum And Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) had imposed stringent regulations to avoid any accidents........
Because of poor regulations governing lighting of fire crackers during festival time, the fire mishap at the Thrissur Pooram festival on April 10, 2016 at Puttingal temple, Kerala resulted in blasts.
Sabarimala Shrine fire accident
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| Sabarimala Shrine fire accident newsarenaindia.com |
The Sabarimala Shrine (Kerala) has also seen repeated fire accidents during the Makara Jyothi season, largely from bursting ghee lamps, makeshift cooking areas, and temporary structures made of inflammable materials.
Gas Cylinder blast, Sainagar, Hubballi, Karnataka.
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| youtube.com |
Above image:Sainagar, Hubballi, Karnataka.A gas cylinder explosion at a Shiva temple resulted in serious injuries to Lord Ayyappa devotees. The explosion occurred while the victims were sleeping inside the temple premises; the cause of the blast was due to the devotees' failure to properly shut off the gas cylinder after cooking..........
A recurring concern is the misuse of ancient mandapams as storage spaces for logs, ropes, wooden chariots, festival poles, and broken electrical appliances, as seen in Kanchipuram’s Ekambareswarar Temple, where a fire outbreak could spread rapidly through piled debris and loose wiring.
These incidents stress the urgent need for reforms: separate entry and exit routes, fire extinguishers at critical zones, frequent electrical inspections, installation of fire hydrants, proper storage for festival materials, and strict eviction of unauthorized shops. With increasing footfall—especially after the pandemic—temple administrations, HR&CE departments, and local governments must adopt modern safety standards without compromising heritage. Fire safety is not merely a regulatory requirement; it is essential for protecting lives, culture, and irreplaceable historic monuments.
https://newsarenaindia.com/states/cylinder-blast-death-toll-of-sabarimala-pilgrims-rises-to-8/32333
