Siva temples teeming with devotees

Priests perform special puja at Sri Uma Rudra Koteswara temple in Srikakulam on Tuesday. (right) The 12-feet tall 'Sivalinga' made of one lakh Rudraksha beads at Agastheswara Swamy temple at Thondavada near Tirupati. -Photos: Basheer/ K.V. Poornachandra Kumar

A huge number of devotees thronged the temples of Lord Siva across the State on the auspicious occasion of Mahasivaratri on Tuesday. Special rituals were conducted from the early hours and as the shadows grew longer, the temples became packed with the devout.

Srikalahasti in Chittoor district was teeming with devotees as the festivities ran concurrent with the annual Brahmotsavams. The deities of Lord Srikalahastheeswara and Goddess Gnana Prasunambika were taken on Indra Vimanam and Chapparam respectively on the main thoroughfares of the town in a glittering procession. The devout started thronging the shrine right from dawn after taking a dip in Swarnamukhi River.

In Tirupati, the deity of Sri Kapileswara was taken on a wooden chariot during ‘Rathotsavam’ in the morning. A 12-feet-tall Sivalinga made of one lakh ‘Rudraksha’ beads put up at Sri Agastheeswara temple in Thondavada on the outskirts of Tirupati was the cynosure of all eyes.

Rajahmundry Special Correspondent writes

In Rajahmundry, devotees made a beeline for the historic temples at Draksharamam, Kotipalli and some other places in East Godavari district. They had a holy dip in the river Godavari and performed special rituals from the morning. Chants of ‘Hara Hara Mahadev' rent the air at all the Saiva Kshetras including Draksharamam and Kumararamam.

Besides, Sri Bhuvaneswari Sameta Kotilingeswara Swami temple on the banks of river Godavari at Kotilingala and Uma Markandeya Swami and Kasi Visweswara temples in Rajahmundry city attracted huge crowds.

Nellore Staff Reporter writes

The famous Sri Mulasthaneswara Swamy Temple was decorated and illuminated for the Mahasivaratri celebrations at Mulapet in Nellore city here on Tuesday. Thousands of devotees had ‘darshan’ at this temple. It is said that the city got its name from a ‘Nelli’ tree located on this temple premises.

Srikakulam Staff Reporter writes

Mahasivaratri was celebrated with religious fervour across Srikakulam district. Sri Uma Rudra Koteswara Aalayam located on the banks of Nagavali River at Srikakulam town and Srimukhalingam were major crowd pullers.

Special arrangements were made at Yendala Mallikarjuna Swamy temple in Ravivalasa and the famous temples at Tekkali and Mahendragiri temple.