KURNOOL: With the onset of Karthika Masam and two consecutive holidays over the weekend, Srisailam temple town in Nandyal district witnessed a massive influx of devotees. From Saturday morning, the streets, queue lines and temple premises of Sri Bramarambha Mallikarjuna Swamy Devasthanam were packed with pilgrims arriving to offer prayers.
Officials reported that more than two lakh devotees had darshan over the past 48 hours, and the number is expected to cross three lakh by Monday evening. The overwhelming turnout led to extended waiting times, with general darshan taking nearly six to seven hours and special darshan around four to five hours.
Several VIPs, accompanied by their families, also visited the temple and offered prayers to Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy and Goddess Bramarambha Devi. Temple Executive Officer M Srinivasa Rao said elaborate arrangements were made to accommodate the surge in visitors. Drinking water and Anna Prasadam were distributed even in the queue lines to ensure devotees’ comfort.
Despite the heavy rush, temple staff, police, and volunteers worked tirelessly to manage the crowd and maintain order. The EO commended their efforts and appealed to devotees to cooperate for a smooth darshan experience during the remaining days of Karthika Masam.