Tirupati: Siva temples witness heavy influx of devotees

Tirupati: Gaiety and religious fervour marked Maha Sivaratri, one of the most auspicious festivals of Hindus in Chittoor district which has more than a dozen famous Saivite holy places including Srikalahasti, popular as Dakshina Kasi, Kanipakam, Talakona and Kailasakona.

The temples including those located in remote forest and hilly areas teemed with devotees, who thronged the shrines walking long distance through dense forests and treacherous hill routes to offer prayers to Siva in the temples on the auspicious occasion of Maha Sivaratri.

The temples which were decked with flowers of various hues and captivating colourful illuminations gave a festive touch thrown open early in the morning after special pujas for darshan witnessed unending flow of devotees right from morning. Srikalahasti where the Brahmotsavam of Sri Kalahastiswara is going witnessed a huge influx of pilgrims from other states including Tamil Nadu and Karnataka for darshan on the occasion of Sivaratri. The temple administration along with the civic authorities and police made elaborate arrangements to cope with devotees' rush in the shrine where Lingodbhavam, the major event of Sivaratri would be observed after midnight.

The APSRTC arranged more than 300 special buses facilitating the devotees visit the holy places including the remote areas saw large number of devotees visiting these temples in interior Sadasiva Kona, Mallaya konda, Mogili, Jhari, Gudimallam near Renigunta where the ancient Parasurameswara temple located. Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister Peddyreddi Ramchandra Reddy and Chandragiri MLA Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy along with family members offered prayers to Siddeswara Swamy temple in Talakona in deep forests.

In the pilgrim city, Prajapita Brahmakumari Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya organised special programmes to mark Sivaratri fete in its mandir where the replica of Amarnath cave temple in Kashmir with its snow linga drew a huge devotees while the 15 ft high Sivalinga made of Rudraksha at Yogimallavaram temple also attracted big rush of devotees thronged to offer prayers to the Rudrakshara Lingam. TTD EO Jawahar Reddy, Joint Collector Veerabrahmam, SVIMS Director Dr Vemgamma and others are among the prominent persons from the city who visited the Brahmakumaris Mandir to offer prayers.