KURNOOL: Thousands of pilgrims from Karnataka and parts of Maharashtra are trekking hundreds of kilometres on foot to reach Srisailam, fulfilling their vow ahead of the five-day Ugadi Mahotsavams from March 27 to 31.
A large number of devotees, particularly from Karnataka, are traversing the dense Nallamala forest to seek the darshan of Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy and Goddess Bhramaramba Devi.
While Maha Shivaratri is a major festival for devotees from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, pilgrims from Karnataka celebrate Ugadi at Srisailam, considering Mallikarjuna Swamy as their son-in-law and Bhramaramba Devi as their daughter.
Every year, thousands of devotees from Karnataka travel in groups of 50 to 100, covering 350 to 400 km on foot over seven to ten days.
These pilgrims offer tamarind, kumkum, sarees, mangalsutras, and flowers to Goddess Bhramaramba Devi. Many also carry Nandi Kavallu (called Kambi in Kannada) and perform daily poojas.
A significant ritual is the Agnikunda Pravesam, where a group of Kannada devotees, known as Ghanacharis, walk over burning embers and undergo ritualistic body piercings.
Temple authorities have arranged temporary shelters, sheds, and water facilities for the expected 10 lakh devotees, with special focus on Kannada pilgrims arriving on foot, said temple executive officer M Srinivasa Rao.