The annual ‘Chandanotsavam’, the biggest festival at Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple at Simhachalam, will be performed without devotees, in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, on May 14.
The festival will be held in‘ekantam’ only and devotees and VVIPs will not be allowed to have darshan of the presiding deity in His ‘nijarupam’. According to the temple tradition, the Dharmakartha (Sanchaita Gajapati) will have the first darshan of the deity (in ‘nijarupam’) and later the Minister would offer silk clothes on behalf of the State government.
Only a few staff members, essential for performing the festival, will be allowed with special passes and even members of Trust Board and special invitees will not be allowed on the day. The decision has been taken in view of the COVID-19 protocol and the orders of the government, according to temple Executive Officer M.V. Suryakala.
The temple authorities would provide live feed from the Kalyana Mandapam of the temple covering major events. She appealed to devotees to pray to the god for better days ahead and requested them to cooperate with the authorities in view of the prevailing situation.
