A major tourism-friendly aspect of the capital master plan talks of a grand circuit of religious destinations linking such as the Kanaka Durga temple in Vijayawada, Mangalagiri’s Panakala Lakshmi Narasimha temple, Amaravathi, the Ananta Padmanabha Swamy temple in Ananthavaram, Neerukonda, Undavalli caves and Kondapalli fort. What is intriguing is why such a circuit could not have been developed already.
The APTDC in the past offered a Pancharama tour package, timing it with the auspicious Karthika maasam. It took pilgrims to five Shiva temples in the region: Amaravati, Palakollu, Bhimavaram, Dhraksharamam and Samarlakota.
But when it did not evoke much excitement among pilgrims, the corporation tried to woo holiday-makers by designing a daily tour programme blending faith and amusement. This comprised visits to the Mangalagiri temple and the local handloom bazaar, the Haailand theme park and back to the Krishna for a cruise ride with a dinner on board.
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