Chennai, Jul 18 (IANS): Two women who had gone to Kancheepuram to have a glimpse of the Athi Varadar died due to suffocation owing to huge crowd, the police said on Thursday.

"Two women standing in the queue swooned due to the crowd and later died. A man was also admitted to the hospital whose condition is not known," a police officer in Kancheepuram told IANS.

According to the officer, a large number of people had gathered to have darshan of the Athi Varadar which in turn resulted in pushing and jostling.

The 12-foot idol of Athi Varadar (made out of fig tree), lying in a silver casket underwater in the temple tank for the past 40 years, was taken out on June 28.

Devotees were allowed to have darshan for 48 days from July 1 to August 17 at the Devarajaswami temple, popularly known as Varadaraja Perumal Temple.

The last time the Athi Varadar was raised out of the water was on July 2, 1979.

Normally a person can have darshan of Athi Varadar once or twice in a lifetime.