Lakhs participate in Giri Pradakshina

Visakhapatnam: Lakhs of people participated in Simhachalam ‘Giri Pradakshina’ that took off on Saturday. Devotees from various parts of north Andhra were seen with their family members.They covered a distance of 32 km on barefoot overcoming all the odds on the way.

Before embarking on the long walk, they had darshan of Sri Varaha Lakshmi Nrusimha Swamy, the presiding deity of the Simhachalam temple at Tholipavancha at Simhachalam foothill.

Union Minister for Civil Aviation and hereditary trustee of the temple P Ashok Gajapathi Raju performed pooja at Giripradakshina special radham after he waved a green flag to start the radha yatra. While starting radha yatra devotees chanted ‘Govindaa Govinda’.

The Minister told the reporters that the response has been huge and the district administration and the temple authorities have made elaborate arrangements for the convenience of the devotees.

Their number is increasing every year, he added.
The devotees after completing the 32-km long trek will take a holy dip in the sea and later have darshan of the Lord Nrusimha Swamy on Sunday to mark the occasion of Giri Purnima.

The Simhachalam Devasthanam officials made elaborate arrangements for devotees participating in the arduous journey by distributing buttermilk and prasadam en route. Several NGOs also joined them. More than 1,000 police personnel have been deployed to monitor law and order. Even CCTV cameras have been installed all along the route at strategic points.

Simhachalam rural health centre and some of other private hospital doctors put up health camps.Temple executive officer Koduru Ramachandra Mohan monitored amenities which were provided to the devotees which include drinking water, temporary rest rooms, food shelters, medical assistance.

By Jatlee