Devotees Flood Srisailam for Maha Shivaratri; Footfall Reaches 2.5 Lakh by Sunday Evening

Kurnool: The temple town of Srisailam witnessed an unprecedented influx of devotees on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri, with 2.5 lakh pilgrims thronging the holy shrine as of Sunday evening.

Hymns of “Om Namah Shivaya” echoed through the temple as devotees queued up for darshan of Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy and Goddess Bhramaramba.

Temple officials said that the darshan of this auspicious day started at 2.30 am on Sunday. Devotees had started arriving as early as 9 pm on Saturday, thronging the temple town and Nallamala ghat roads, which were jam-packed with traffic throughout the day.

Police kept a constant watch on the serpentine queues, which were expected to last until 11 a.m. on Monday. While accommodation opportunities remain inadequate, thousands of pilgrims spend the night outdoors. Bathrooms and locker rooms continued to become overcrowded as the influx increased with each hour.

District officials followed the situation closely. The collector visited the temple early in the morning and examined the arrangements. A large number of police officers were assigned to prevent a possible incident or stampede. Seven ambulances continued to be deployed at strategic locations to respond to medical emergencies.

Heavy attendance was also reported from the Mahanandi Temple, where devotees started arriving before dawn.

Major temples in Kadapa district such as Polatala Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple, Nageswara Kona Temple and Bhairaveswara Kona Temple witnessed heavy footfalls. Revenue authorities made elaborate arrangements to manage devotees coming from remote areas.

Large gatherings were also reported to be held at many important temples in Kurnool district.

Inadequate bus services have created inconvenience for pilgrims, especially those traveling to Srisailam. Devotees complained of waiting for hours without transportation.