Telangana, AP in grip of devotional fervour

​Hyderabad: On the occasion of Maha Sivarathri festival on Friday, all Shaivaite temples in both Telangana and residuary Andhra Pradesh reverberated with the chanting of ‘Aum Namah Shivayah’ in praise of the three-eyed lord. Devotees lined up in serpentine queues at Shiva temples since early morning for darshan of ‘Vishwanatha’ and performed Abhisekhams and special pujas.

For the sacred occasion, all temples of Lord Shiva in both the Telugu States were tastefully decorated with colourful flowers and illumination. Popular Shiva temples in Tirupati, Srisailam, Draksharamam, Srikalahasti, Kotappakonda, Palakollu, Vemulawada, Keesara, Bheema varam and so on were thronged by thousands of devotees. On the occasion, the Srisailam shrine, the abode of one of the dwadasha (12) Jyothirlingas, turned into a sea of devotees. After having sacred bath in the Pathalaganga, devotees waited in serpentine queues and had darshan of Sri Mallikharjuna Swamy.

Similarly, a large number of devotees thronged the popular Srikalahasti Temple. Keeping in view of the heavy rush on the occasion, the temple authorities allowed darshan of Lord Kalahasteeshwara from 2 am and cancelled Arjitha sevas and introduced Laghu darshan.

The devotees were distributed prasadams and milk packets in the queue lines. The special feature of this year’s Maha Sivarathri at Srikalahasti was that the processional deities of the Lord and his consort were decorated with gold ornaments after ten years. The APSRTC plied special bus services to Srikalahasti from Tirupathi, Nellore and Chennai.

In Telangana, devotees thronged the Thousand-Pillar Temple at Hanamkonda in Warangal district, Sri Rajarajeswara Swamy Temple in Vemulawada of Karimnagar district, Sri Ramalingeswara Swamy Temple at Keesara in Ranga Reddy district and Sri Jogulamba Temple in Alampur in Mahbubnagar district.

Simultaneously, the annual traditional fair commenced in Edupaayala in Medak district. Endowments Minister A Indrakaran Reddy, accompanied by his family members performed special puja at Rajarajeshwara Swamy Temple at Vemulawada. On behalf of the State government, local MLA Chennameneni Ramesh presented silk vastrams to the divine couple. The TSRTC plied special buses from all parts of the State.

A delegation of priests from the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams visited Sri Rajarajeswara Swamy temple and presented ‘pattu vastrams’ to Lord Shiva on the occasion. Hundreds of devotees thronged the temple of Sri Ramalingeswara Swamy at Keesara and performed Abhisekhams amidst chanting of ‘Aum Namah Shivaya’. Devotees were seen patiently waiting for darshan of the Lord. Officials of Revenue and Panchayat Raj departments made bandobust arrangements. Devotees in huge numbers lined up since early morning at the temple of Sri Mallikharjuna Swamy at Komuravelli.

Similarly, Sri Kanaka Durga Malleswara Swamy temple atop Indrakeeladri in Vijayawada also attracted a large number of devotees. Ardent devotees made a beeline to the temple of Sri Kethaki Sangameshwara Swamy at Jharasangham in Medak district. Serpentine queues were seen at Keesaragutta, Ujjain and Omkareshwar temples since early morning.

Devotees in large numbers poured into the Moolasthaneshwara Temple in the Potti Sriramulu Nellore district. The celebrations commenced on a large scale in the Uma Someshwara Temple in Bhimavaram of West Godavari district. Devotees in large numbers started pouring into the temple from early hours and patiently waited in serpentine queues. “Palabhishekam” to the presiding deity was performed amidst chanting of Veda mantras this morning.