Apart from rainy season, the picturesque Kuntala waterfall in Neredigonda mandal of Adilabad district comes alive only on Sivaratri what with hundreds of devotees visiting the cave temple of Lord Someshwara to offer prayers. Devotees started arriving here on Friday afternoon from Maharashtra and its neighbouring districts apart from Adilabad and the flow stopped only by night.
The Forest Department made arrangements for the devotees to reach the cave temple on a hillock. The devotees offered prayers soon after their arrival and spent the night in the open singing bhajans .
They also made a beeline to Burugupalli Rajeshwara Swamy temple located about 30 km away on NH 44. Hundreds of them also flocked to the Kadile Papahareshwar temple in Dilawarpur mandal of Nirmal district.
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Heavy rush
NIZAMABAD Special Correspondent adds: Devotees thronged all the Siva temples across the district to offer prayers on Sivaratri on Friday.
The Kanteswar temple, Shambhuni Gudi at Sidhulagutta and Sidha Ramalingaleswara temple at Biknoor saw heavy rush.
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Meanwhile, the fruit markets were crowded even though the prices were high in view of the festival.
Armoor MLA A. Jeevan Reddy personally supervised the arrangements at the cave temple at Sidhulagutta to facilitate devotees to offer prayers to Lord Siva.
Hectic activity
Special Correspondent adds: Temples dedicated to Lord Siva, some dating back to the Kakatiya era, witnessed hectic religious activity with hordes of devotees flocking to the temples to offer special prayers on Mahasivaratri on Friday.
Religious fairs got off to a spiritual start coinciding with the festival in several famous pilgrim centres in Madhira, Sattupalli, Khammam rural and other mandals.
Devotees made a beeline to the temples including Sri Bramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy temple in Annapureddypalli, Neeladreeshwara Swamy temple in Penuballi mandal, Sri Mrutyunjaya Swamy temple in Madhira and Sri Ramalingeswara Swamy temple in Wyra mandal.
Sri Sangameswara Swamy temple at Teerthala in Khammam rural mandal, Sri Ganapeshwaralayam in Kusumanchi mandal, Sri Guntu Malleswara Swamy temple and other Siva temples in Khammam town witnessed heavy rush devotees from the early hours of the day.
Devotees bound for Sri Sangameswara shrine had a tough time in reaching Teerthala owing to a massive traffic jam on the road leading to the pilgrim centre.
Low water level at the confluence of three rivers – Akeru, Munneru and Buggeru dampened the spirit of many.
Though the authorities released water from the NSP canal to the confluence point, their efforts proved inadequate as the devotees faced severe inconvenience in taking bath in Akeru.