SRIKAKULAM: With the administration making elaborate arrangements and queue lines, devotees had hassle-free darshan of Sri Suryanarayana Swamy at Arasavalli temple on the most auspicious Rathasaptami on Friday.
Devotees, including VIPs, thronged the Sun temple right from the wee hours. The temple authorities and priests welcomed Visakha Saradha Peetam Seer Swaroopanandenda Saraswathi, who came to the temple to perform the rituals on the occasion of Surya Jayanthi. Swaroopanandedra Saraswathi offered silk cloths to the Lord. The priests started the Ksheerabhishekam after the zero hours which continued till 6 am. After the completion of the
Ksheerabhishekam, the devotees were allowed to have darshan of Sun god.
Compared to last year, the rush of devotees was less this time. Since the festival fell on Friday, a working day, many employees, students and businessmen remained absent. According to the temple authorities, over 60,000 had darshan.
This time the temple authorities made separate queue lines for Rs 100, Rs 500 darshan tickets and special queue line for VIPs which has given a good result.
According to the tradition, thousands of women cooked Ksheerannam after taking a dip in the Indra Pushkarini and offered the same to the Sun god.
Several organisations extended services to the devotees and also distributed tiffins, meals, milk and buttermilk among the devotees. The Red Cross and Medical and Health department officials have set up separate stalls to offer medical aid to the pilgrims. Transportation has been arranged to ferry people.