Devotees chanting “Om namah Sivaya”, “Hara hara Mahadeva”, “Sambho Sankara”, reverberated at the ancient and historic Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy Devasthanam on the occasion of Mahasivarathri festival in Vemulawada in Rajanna-Sircilla district on Friday.
Mahasivarathri celebrations started on a grand religious note with several thousand devotees thronging the temple shrine, and standing in serpentine queues for the darshan of the presiding deities since the early hours of Friday. The devotees took a dip in the holy tank (Dharmagundam) before offering prayers.
Only maha laghu darshan
In view of the heavy rush, devasthanam authorities had cancelled the Arjitha seva rituals, and allowed only Maha laghu darshan for the benefit of devotees. Serpentine queues were formed for the traditional Kode mokku (tying of an ox) ritual at the temple shrine. Temple authorities had made all arrangements for the devotees in the queues by providing drinking water facilities and distribution of buttermilk sachets.
As per tradition, the TTD (Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam) authorities presented silk robes to the Vemulawada deities on Friday. TTD deputy EO Harindranath presented the robes brought from Tirumala. On behalf of the State government, Minister for Health Etala Rajender, and Minister for Endowments A. Indrakaran Reddy presented silk robes separately to the presiding deities, and offered prayers.
All measures for devotees’ convenience
Vemulawada legislator Ch. Ramesh Babu, Collector D. Krishna Bhaskar, Endowments Commissioner Anil Kumar and others were overseeing the arrangements at the shrine and taking all measures to avoid any inconvenience to the pilgrims. MLC Naradasu Laxman Rao, MLA Rasamayi Balakishan, ZP chairperson Aruna, and others also visited the temple and offered prayers.
Police had made unprecedented security arrangements by deploying additional forces and regulating the pilgrims in the queues.
Pilgrim rush at other temples
Similarly, pilgrim rush swelled at Sri Kaleshwara Muktheeshwara Swamy Devasthanam in Kaleshwaram of Mahadevpur mandal in Jayashankar-Bhupalapalli district along the shores of river Godavari and Pranahita. The Kotilingala temple in Velgatoor mandal in Jagtial district too witnessed a heavy rush of pilgrims.
Further, various Siva temples in Karimnagar town in Old bazaar, Bhagathnagar, Sapthagiri colony, LMD colony, and other localities were packed with devotees.