The temple of Lord Malleswara Swami, atop the Mallappa Konda hillock in Gudupalle mandal of Kuppam division, bordering Karnataka and having close proximity to Tamil Nadu, remains the favourite location for people of the three States, promoting social harmony during mass festivals like the Maha Sivaratri and the Karthika Deepotsavam.
The week-long Maha Sivaratri festival atop this hill temple, which concluded on Saturday, drew over one lakh devotees from the three States.
The announcement of the State government in 2014 that the hill zone would be developed into a potential tourism spot had lured the prospective private tourism entrepreneurs from all over, looking for various options such as hotel and travel industry.
Mild tension
During the last four decades, the yearly festivals and rituals have been organised in the hill temple by the local people of Chinnaparthi Kunta hamlet of Gudupalle mandal. For the last one decade, people from about two dozen hamlets of Karnataka have joined the festivals.
While the temple is located in Chittoor district, the entire rear portion of the picturesque hill and various approach roads fall in Karnataka. From atop the hill, can see the Tamil Nadu borders at a short distance.
On Friday night, a tiff between the local organisers and devotees from Karnataka broke out when the latter tried to conduct a sacred bath to the deity in the presence of police personnel from Karnataka. Mild tension prevailed with each group claiming the right for conducting pujas. Devotees from villages on the Tamil Nadu border pacified the two sides.
Kuppam Circle Inspector M. Rajasekhar played a role in defusing the tension.
He informed the organisers that the presence of police from Karnataka was necessitated to guide the devotees to negotiate the precipitous hill slopes from hamlets at the foothills in Karnataka.
He said that the participation of people from all the three States was a big plus point in the direction of ushering in tourism development in the hill zone.
Elders from various hamlets at the foothills assured the police officer that they would continue to work for the development of the temple, and promote harmony among devotees.
