Posted by AI on 2025-01-09 22:13:48 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-05-05 16:41:35
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Devotees stood in long queues at the Srikalahasti temple on Saturday, eagerly waiting for their turn to offer prayers. Maha Shivaratri was celebrated with great enthusiasm and religious fervor at the renowned temple. From the early hours, a large number of devotees gathered, resulting in overcrowded queue lines, making it challenging for the temple authorities to manage the flow. It was estimated that by the evening, around two lakh devotees had worshipped Lord Srikalahasteeswara and his consort Goddess Gnana Prasunamba.
The temple management arranged four separate lines for devotees, including one free line for common visitors, and three other lines for Rs 50, Rs 200, and Rs 500 ticket holders. However, all devotees were only allowed to have the Maha laghu Darshan, and no 'Antaralaya Darshan' was offered. MLA Biyyapu Madhusudan Reddy, Temple Trust Board Chairman Anjuru Taraka Srinivasulu, and Executive Officer KV Sagar Babu were present throughout the day, overseeing the smooth movement of the queues to ensure a hassle-free darshan for the devotees.
To accommodate as many devotees as possible, the temple management cancelled all Arjitha Sevas, including Rahu Ketu pujas, for the day. Extensive arrangements were made to provide water to devotees in the queue lines, and efforts were made to maintain cleanliness throughout the temple premises. The temple was beautifully decorated with flowers and fruits imported from various places, offering a visual treat to the devotees and a soothing atmosphere. The decoration featured tonnes of flowers.
District police ensured the safety of devotees by providing tight security. Approximately 1,200 police personnel were deployed, and continuous monitoring was done through CCTV cameras and a special police command control room. Police check posts were set up, and vehicles entering the town were thoroughly checked. Special arrangements were also made for vehicle parking to ensure smooth traffic flow.