Mahasivaratri was celebrated with piety and religious fervour at various Saivite shrines in Chittoor district on Sunday.
The district boasts of over a dozen important temples dedicated to Lord Siva, the prominent one being Srikalahasti, revered as ‘Dakshina Kashi’. As is the age-old practice, several devotees took a holy dip in the Swarnamukhi river and offered prayers with wet clothes at the Srikalahasti temple. Many women preferred to perform ‘Angapradakshinam’ (bodily rolling around the temple). The deities of Lord Sri Kalahastheeswara and Goddess Gnana Prasunambika were taken in a colourful procession respectively on ‘Indra Vimanam’ and ‘Chapram’ in the morning and on Nandi and Simha Vahanams in the evening. The famous ‘Lingodbhavam’ is scheduled to be performed at 3.30 am on Monday.
Noted urologist and RUSSH Hospital Chairman C. Subramanyam presented Rs.1 lakh to the temple for the ‘Annadanam’ scheme(poor feeding). A famous soap maker presented hand-held fans to the visiting devotees to help beat the heat.
The residents of Tirupati visited most of the Siva temples concentrated in and around the city - Sri Kapileswara (Kapila Theertham), Sri Agasthyeswara (Thondavada), Jeevalingeswara (Jeevakona), Parasareswara (Yogimallavaram), Parasurameswara (Gudimallam), Valmikeswara (Durgasamudram), etc.
The temples elsewhere in the district which are dotted by waterfalls and other picturesque attractions such as Sri Mogileeswara (Mogili), Sri Siddheswara (Talakona), Zari Kona, Kailasakona, Sadasivakona etc. were also thronged by devotees from far and wide.
Devotees thronged Siva temples in Kadapa district in large numbers on Mahasivaratri festival and witnessed ‘Mahanyasa Poorvaka Ekadasa Rudrabhishekam’, ‘Bilvapatra pooja’, ‘homams’ and Sri Siva Parvathi kalyanotsavam.
Rudrabhishekam was performed before dawn at Sri Visweswara Swamy temple in the Sri Rajarajeswari Devi temple premises.
People also visited Sri Chandramouleeswara Swamy temple, Sri Vaidyanatheswara Swamy, Sri Bhimeswara Swamy and Sri Trikooteswara Swamy temples at Pushpagiri pilgrim centre, Sri Nityapoojeswara Swamy temple near Siddhavatam, Sri Agasteswara Swamy temple and Sri Mukti Rameswara Swamy temple in Proddatur, Sri Treteswara Swamy temple at Attirala near Rajampet, Sri Veerabhadra Swamy temples at Alladupalle in Rajupalem and Rayachoti, Sri Sangameswara Swamy temple at Animela in Veerapunayunipalle mandal.
Devotees also thronged Sri Ramalingeswara Swamy temple in Lankamala reserve forests on Mydukur-Badvel route, Sri Bhairaveswara Swamy temple at Bhairavakona near Mydukur, Sri Bhramarambha Sahitha Malleswara Swamy temple at Polathala in Pendlimarry mandal, Sri Naganatheswara Swamy temple at Nageswarakona in Khajipet mandal.
APSRTC plied about 415 special services from Kadapa and other depots to Saivaite temples and pilgrim centres.Medical camps and ambulances were stationed at Saivaite temples in interior and forest areas.
Devotees from the city thronged the Siva temples throughout the night to offer pujas as part of the Mahasivaratri celebrations. The temples were decked up for the special day.
At the Sri Mulasthaneswara Swamy temple at Mulapet, the executive committee made elaborate arrangements for the convenience of the visiting devotees and pilgrims.
Devotees also thronged Bhairavakona, which is a famous pilgrim centre.
