Annadanam in midst of forest
Visiting Srisailam is a matter of virtue. The devotees from different corners come to the famous Shivite temple to attain ‘Punya’. The rush of devotees to Srisailam is more in festive season especially ahead of Ugadi. Lakhs of devotees from neighbouring States Karnataka and Maharashtra come on foot to have ‘darshan’. They pass through the dense forest where basic amenities are missing.
Atmakur: Visiting Srisailam is a matter of virtue. The devotees from different corners come to the famous Shivite temple to attain ‘Punya’. The rush of devotees to Srisailam is more in festive season especially ahead of Ugadi. Lakhs of devotees from neighbouring States Karnataka and Maharashtra come on foot to have ‘darshan’. They pass through the dense forest where basic amenities are missing.
- MS Patil from Maharashtra arranges food for pedestrian devotees with 380 helpers
- Spends `80 lakh to feed six lakh devotees for eight days
Drinking water and food are rarely found during the course. Temple authorities or officials of Endowment department do not bother to focus on the issues faced by pedestrian devotees. But, one among the devotees reallised the difficulties being faced during the travel and came up with an idea which has become an oasis for the pedestrian devotees.
MS Patil from Maharashtra has been serving food for the devotees for last nine years. He serves eight different food items for the tired devotees, who stay there and relax for some time for having some food. His act of charity has many folds. He sets up the camp at Veerabhadra swamy temple near Nagalooty.
Patil established ‘Sri Mallikarjuna Multipurpose Trust’ to serve the pedestrian devotees visiting Srisailam. He has been organising Annadanam with the support of 380 helpers. Every year, he feeds almost six lakh devotees in the midst of the forest. Apart from this, he arranged dates, lemon juice, butter milk throughout the stretch of 60 kilometers in the forest.
Even mineral water was also made available during the journey. Patil also arranges doctors at different spots like Nagaluti, Pedcheruvu, Bheemuni Kolanu etc. emergency medicines, tablets, and painkillers were also kept for unexpected situations. Hailing from the Hatkanangale, a town in Ichalkaranji sub-division of Kolhapur district in Maharashtra, Patil felt service to human is service to God.
While speaking to The Hans India, he said that he would spend Rs 80 lakh for eight days only to feed the pedestrian devotees coming from Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Gujarat.
