‘Chandanotsavam’ preparations commence three months early

Visakhapatnam: The annual ‘Chandanotsavam’ wherein Lord Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy’ gives ‘Nijarupa’ darshan to devotees arriving from various places across the country is one of the most major festivals of Simhachalam Devasthanam.

However, last year, the festival turned out to be tragic as a fateful wall, built in haste without any proper planning, collapsed, claiming seven lives.

Keeping the incident and previous lapses in view, the district administration has firmed up its action to ensure safe and secure celebration of ‘Chandanotsavam’ scheduled on April 20 this year.

As part of the preparation exercise, the district administration commenced its plans for the festival three months in advance.

Following strict timelines, the civil works required for ‘Chandanotsavam’ are expected to be completed by February-end.

The district administration intends to complete all the arrangements, including queue lines, much ahead of the festival.

Shaded-queue lines will be facilitated along a 13-km-long stretch towards the temple so that devotees can protect themselves against harsh weather conditions.

Traffic congestion is another serious issue experienced by devotees during the festival time. Keeping the increasing vehicle flow in view, the officials plan to restrict the issue of vehicle passes uphill.

Sanitation, free transportation facility and smooth flow of queue lines are other key areas the district administration is focusing upon in detail. In the coming days, the state government is likely to form a committee to ensure the celebration of ‘Chandanotsavam’ in a hassle-free manner.