KURNOOL: Thousands of pedestrian pilgrims from Karnataka as well as some parts of Maharashtra visit Srisailam temple every year for Ugadi to fulfill their vow. With the Ugadi festival beginning on March 15 at Srisailam, the pilgrims have started seeking permission from the Forest Department to allow their vehicles with offerings up to 15 km transit point at Peddacheruvu so that they could camp, cook food, take rest and resume their journey.
For years, Peddacheruvu has been used as a transit point by Srisailam pilgrims. Dozens of philanthropists move to the place with loads of rice, vegetables, water cans and medicines to distribute them freely among pilgrims. However, the forest officials do not give formal permission to pilgrims and philanthropists to move the provisions into the forest in vehicles.A devotee Mallaiah from Jamkhandi said that their wishes would be fulfilled with the offerings to Goddess Bhramaramba Devi and Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy. They have to walk about 800 km in 15 days to reach the famous pilgrim shrine, he said.
Another devotee Tanvesh said it is their tradition to give the offerings to the presiding deities of Srisailam temple. The offerings made by the pilgrims during festivals include saree, mangalasutram, kumkum, flowers, tamarind and others. They also carry Nandi Kavallu, called as Kambi in Kannada, on their shoulders which consist of Nandi images and offer pooja to the idols everyday during their travel to Srisailam.Pilgrims of AP consider Maha Shivaratri as the major festival, while Karnataka devotees celebrate Ugadi, New Year, at Srisailam, the abode of Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy, whom they consider as their son-in-law, and Goddess Bhramaramba Devi as daughter.
Pilgrims in groups of 50 to 100 move in a caravan while the luggage is loaded into a truck accompanying the caravan. The journey is smooth till they reach the core forest at Atmakur. After that, their travails start. The trucks are not allowed into the core forest. In fact, the hardest and strenuous part of the pilgrimage starts after the pilgrims enter into the forest bypassing Atmakur-Srisailam road. For pilgrims, who walk to the temple, the distance is only 30 km, while those using vehicles will have to travel 100 km. Two to three popular routes from Venkatapuram and Rollapenta pass through the dense Nallamala forest.