Fervour marks Sivarathri festival

- Devotees perform milk-bath to Shiv Lingam; offer fruits and flowers to Lord Siva
- Rathotsavam held at Sri Kapileswara Swamy temple in pilgrim city
- More than 1.5 lakh devotees had darshan at Srikalahasti temple

Tirupati: Thousands of devotees offered prayers at Siva temples across the district on Friday, on the occasion of Maha Sivarathri festival. Serpentine lines were seen in front of Siva temples with devotees from the early hours. The festival was celebrated at famous Siva temple in Srikalahasti with religious fervour, 40 km from here.

The temple officials have cancelled all the special darsan tickets and allowed only devotees with sarva darsan. Minister Bojjala Gopalakrishna Reddy along with his family offered prayers at Srikalahasti. Devotees have performed milk-bath to Shiv Lingam in temple premises. Some devotees also offered fruits, flowers and bel (wood apple) leaves to Lord Siva. According to temple sources, more than 1.5 lakh devotees had darsan till 5 pm. The temple authorities set up separate queue lines for the convenience of devotees.

Several rituals were performed in more than 200 Siva temples across the district. Temple officials made elaborate arrangements for devotees and pilgrims. All the temples were decorated with colourful flowers and lights.

At Kapilateertham, devotees were allowed for darhsan from wee hours of Friday. Archakas have performed Snapana Thirumanjanam to processional deities and were taken out in a procession atop Rathotsavam.

In the evening, Lord Siva procession was taken atop Nandi Vahanam as part of ongoing annual Brahmotsavam at Sri Kapileswara Swamy temple. The TTD officials provided ample parking space for vehicles and free meals, and drinking water was distributed to devotees. Sources in the TTD temple said that more than 80,000 devotees offered prayers here. At Siddeswara Swamy Temple in Talakona, devotees offered prayers to Lord Siva with special rituals. Some Bhaktha Sangams provided free meals, water and buttermilk to devotees here. Chandragiri MLA Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy has offered special prayers to the deity and presented silk clothes.

Chittoor: Unmindful of hot sun, the devotees of Lord Siva thronged the temples in the city on Friday on the occasion of Sivarathri festival. Temple authorities have made all arrangements for devotees. The police officials provided security at Siva temples under the supervision of DSP Lakshmi Naidu. Assistant Commissioner of Endowments B S Reddy said that all arrangements were in place at various Siva temples located in Kanipakam, Mogili, Talakona and Siddeswaram.

Kadapa: The Sivarathri festival celebrated with fervour at Siva temples in the district on Friday. Siva temples have reverberated with chants of Om Namah Shivaya. Devotees offered prayers to Lord Siva at Nityapuja Swamy temple, Polathala Mallikarjuna Swamy temple, Kamakshi Sametha Prathateswara Swamy temple and Lankamalleswara Swamy temple in the district. Assistant Commissioner of Endowments Sankara Balaji said that temple officials took all measures to provide facilities to devotees.