In view of "Kaanum Pongal" festival in Tamil Nadu, lakhs of people gathered as families and friends in public places to spend quality time together. The day is the consummation of the three-day Pongal festivities that began on the Pongal day Tuesday. On 'Kaanum Pongal' day, friends and relatives meet each other in common places and renew their bonds.<br />''<br />''In the iconic Marina Beach in Chennai, more than one and a half lakh people are gathered. Over three thousand police personnel have been deployed for crowd management in the beach. Special arrangements are made to avoid cases of missing children in the crowd. Taking bath in the sea has been banned as the sea is rough. About two hundred divers are also pressed into service to monitor and prevent cases of drowning. <br />'' <br />''The Elliot's Beach at Besant Nagar in Chennai has been thronged by about fifty thousand people. The zoo at Vandaloor on the outskirts of Chennai has also been visited by about 42 thousand people, as said by the zoo authorities.<br />'' <br />''<span style="color: #222222;">In the famous picnic spot at Hogenakkal in Dharmapuri district, visitors in large numbers are converged and had coracle ride on the River Cauvery. Several other prominent picnic spots like Ooty and Kodaikanal are also witnessing huge number of people in view of the festival. </span><br />