KURNOOL: The Nallamala forest and connecting routes towards Srisailam are abuzz with the chants of Shiva deekha devotees as they proceeded on foot to the temple to relinquish their deeksha on Maha Shivaratri. During this time of the year, bare-footed Shiva deeksha devotees come to Srisailam from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Maharashtra. Both young and old sporting yellow clothes and carrying ‘irumudi’ pass through the Nallamala forest to reach Srisailam, covering a distance of 50 km in 48 hours from Venkatapuram of Atmakur mandal.
Srisailam temple executive officer (EO) KS Rama Rao said voluntary organisations have put up camps along the route to provide food and drinking water to the devotees. The camps have bene put up in Pedda Cheruvu, Venkatapuram and Bheemuni Kolanu forest areas. He appealed to the devotees not to come in large groups, but to form small groups. He also told them to wear face masks, maintain social distance, and use sanitiser regularly while in the temple town.
On an estimate, nearly three lakh devotees go through the dense Atmakur-Nallamala forest and walk up to Srisailam during the Brahmotsavams.Relinquishing Shiva Deeksha by devotees by proceeding on foot to Srisailam is a tradition that has continuing from the past 400 years.