Devotees throng temples to offer prayers on Mahashivaratri
Devotees taking part in Nandi Vahana Seva at Srisailam on the occasion of Maha Sivaratri on Wednesday
Shiva temples across Andhra Pradesh witnessed an overwhelming influx of devotees from early morning as they gathered to offer prayers on the auspicious occasion of Mahashivratri.
Vijayawada : Shiva temples across Andhra Pradesh witnessed an overwhelming influx of devotees from early morning as they gathered to offer prayers on the auspicious occasion of Mahashivratri.
According to Hindu mythology, Mahashivratri marks the divine marriage of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, drawing worshippers in large numbers to temples statewide.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Governor S Abdul Nazeer on Wednesday extended Maha Shivaratri festival greetings to the people.
Special pujas and Abhishekams were conducted at all temples, with elaborate arrangements ensuring a smooth darshan for devotees. Special queue lines were set up to prevent overcrowd-ing. Temples in Nandyala, Kurnool, Chittoor, Palnadu, Guntur, Krishna, Nellore, and the erstwhile Godavari districts reverberat-ed with the chanting of 'Om Namah Shivaya.'
A massive turnout was recorded at the renowned Srikalahasti temple in Chittoor district, where temple authorities struggled to manage the swelling queues. By evening, an estimated two lakh devotees had paid homage to Lord Srikalahasteeswara and Goddess Gnana Prasunambika. The temple surroundings ech-oed with divine chants throughout the day.
In Nandyala district, the Maha Shivaratri Brahmotsavams at Sri Bhramarambha Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple continued with fer-vor. The temple authorities organized a series of sacred rituals, strictly adhering to Agama Sastra traditions. The day com-menced with special prayers offered to Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy and Goddess Bhramaramba Devi, followed by Mandaparadhana, Panchavararchana, Shiva Panchakshari, Nitya Havanalu, Rudra Homam, and Chandi Homam.
Thousands of devotees experi-enced spiritual ecstasy through these sacred ceremonies. As dusk approached, the grand Prabotsavam of Lord Mallikarju-na Swamy and Goddess Bhramaramba Devi mesmerized devo-tees. The beautifully adorned palanquin procession (Prabha) ex-uded the grandeur of the Rathotsavam. At Trikoteswara Swamy Temple in Kotappakonda, Palnadu dis-trict, the temple premises resonated with devotional hymns. Spe-cial pujas and Abhishekams were performed. Endowments Minis-ter Ananm Rama Narayana Reddy and Narasaraopet MLA Dr. Chadalavada Aravind Babu presented silk robes to the deity on behalf of the state government.
Siva temples in Prakasam district, including Bhairvakona, Podili, Tripurantakam, and Ongole, witnessed a heavy influx of devo-tees. Rajamahendravaram, known as ‘Southern Kashi,’ saw lakhs of pilgrims take a holy dip in the Godavari River at prominent ghats, marking a spiritually enriching Mahashivratri celebration.
