Elaborate arrangements have been put in place for the Maha Sivarathri festival at the Veereswara Swamy temple in Pattiseema, nestled amidst the Godavari.
The temple reverberated with the chants of ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ and ‘Hara Hara Maha Deva’ as devotees started visiting the temple from Wednesday evening to have darshan of Lord Veereswara Swamy from different places. The temple was illuminated with bright, colourful lights for the festival.
Revenue, Police, Endowments, Fire, SDRF, Fisheries, APSRTC, Medical and Health, AP Transco, Panchayat Raj, Roads and Buildings and other departments have made foolproof arrangements for the festival at the temple.
West Godavari Collector Revu Mutyala Raju and Superintendent of Police K. Narayan Naik reviewed the arrangements. They directed officials to take all safety precautions on the Godavari as the water level was high at Pattiseema.
“We erected a temporary bridge across the Godavari with five punts (rafts) brought from Dowleswaram and other places, and laid a path for about one km with sand bags for the convenience of pilgrims visiting the temple,” said Polavaram Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) K. Latha Kumari.
Besides, 50 static boats with expert swimmers and 20 inflated boats of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been arranged in the river as a precautionary measure with ropes and other safety equipment, said Mr. Narayan Naik.
“One ASP, five DSPs, 10 CIs, 24 SIs, 15 Anti-Naxal Squad (ANS) police comprising 15 personnel each, 500 police, 50 GMSKs, 50 ANMs and representatives of various trusts and NGOs have been deployed at the temple,” the SP told The Hindu on Wednesday.
“This is for the first time that we arranged a temporary bridge across the river for the safety of the devotees. Altogether 300 life jackets have been kept ready on different places on the punts. The Fisheries and Fire Department personnel, sarungs (drivers) and expert swimmers have been deputed on the punts and boats,” Ms. Latha Kumari said.
Polavaram CI Naveen Narasimha Murthy and SI R. Srinu said that the APSRTC is operating special buses from Rajamahendravaram, Nidadavole, Narasapuram, Jangareddygudem, Tanuku and other places for the convenience of the devotees attending the Maha Sivaratri utsavams.
“The water level at the temple is around ten feet. There are no predictions from the Central Water Commission (CWC) regarding a rise in the water level in the Godavari or rainfall in the catchment areas,” Mr. Srinu said.
Medical camps have been arranged at the temple, bus station and on the punts. Ambulances and fire tenders have been kept ready for an emergency on the banks of the Godavari. During the three-day festivities, devotees will have darshan and observe ‘Jagaram’ at the temple, the DSP said.
Meanwhile, Pattiseema, Kovvur and other villages wore a festive look with traders selling toys, puja material, and fruits along the roadside. Jewellery shops, cloth stores, restaurants and hotels are also looking forward to brisk business.
