Thousands of devotees are expected to participate in the annual Chandanotsavam of Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha swamy, the presiding deity of Simhachalam, being held on Tuesday. Devotees are being allowed for the annual festival after a gap of two years in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Devotees started arriving at the temple for His darshan late from Monday night. It’s only during the annual Chandanotsavam that the original form of the deity can be seen as the idol would be covered with sandalwood paste for the remaining part of the year. The sandalwood covering on the idol is removed and devotees are allowed to have darshan from the early hours of Tuesday till a fresh coat of sandal paste is applied after special prayers late in the night.
The priests scrape the sandalwood paste covering the idol with silver ‘borugulu’ (scrapers) and perform ‘abhishekam with water from the ‘Gangadhara’ (natural spring on Simhachalam Hill). The hereditary trustee of the temple Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju, and his family members would be the first to have darshan of the deity in His original form between 3 and 3.30 a.m.
Temple Trust Board Members, Endowments Commissioner, officials of the TTD, who would bring silk vastrams to the deity, Principal Secretary (Endowments) and other officials would have darshan between 3.30 a.m. and 4 a.m.
Devotees would be allowed for darshan from 4 a.m.
The queue lines would be closed at 7 p.m. and devotees, who are already in queue, would be allowed to have darshan.
Devotees coming for ‘sarva darshan’ (free darshan) would also be allowed from 4 a.m.
Former Minister and YSR Congress Party district president Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao visited Simhachalam on Monday and inspected the arrangements made for the festival. He had darshan of the deity and later inspected the queue lines.
He held discussions with the temple officials and directed them to ensure adequate supply of water and buttermilk to the devotees in the queue lines. He directed the officials concerned to ensure uninterrupted power supply and sanitation at the temple.
Later, in the evening, District Collector A. Mallikharjuna visited the temple and inspected the arrangements for the festival. Speaking to the media on the occasion, Dr. Mallikharjuna said that arrangements have been made to prevent inconvenience to common devotees. Special arrangements have been made for physically challenged persons and special buses have been arranged for all devotees from the foothill to the hilltop. Two slots have been provided to VIPs for darshan.
Police Commissioner Ch. Srikanth said that 2,500 police personnel have been deployed to ensure security of pilgrims during the festival and parking lots have been provided to prevent traffic jams. Special buses were being operated to the hilltop to prevent traffic jam on the hill.
Executive Officer M.V. Suryakala and Chandanotsavam Special Officer D. Bhramaramba were present.
