AJANNA-SIRCILLA/ NIZAMABAD/KAMAREDDY/ ADILABAD/ MEDAK: The Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy temple in Vemulawada town of Karimnagar district, also known as Dakshina Kashi, reverberated with the chanting of ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ on Friday. Thousands of devotees thronged the temple on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri. People experienced wait times exceeding three hours in the queue lines. Transport and BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, along with Government Whip Adi Srinivas, offered pattu vastralu (silk clothes) to Lord Shiva and Goddess Rajarajeshwari Devi.
Collector Anuraag Jayanti and SP Akhi Mahajan monitored arrangements and interacted with devotees in queue lines. Several volunteer organisations provided water and fruits to devotees. Additionally, several youth organisations organised special cricket matches as part of the festival.
Devotees flock Thriveni Sangamam for holy dip
A large number of devotees also visited Thriveni Sangamam in River Godavari for a holy dip, located in Kandakurthi village of Renjal mandal in Nizamabad district. To cope with the increasing temperatures during the day, temple officials had covered the top portion of queue lines. However, given the large number of devotees, there were delays for darshan and special pujas. Wells located inside temples (konerus) were also decorated on the occasion.
Many visit Kuntala falls
A large number of devotees visited the Kuntala waterfalls in Neradigonda mandal of Adilabad district, where there is an image of Someshwara Swamy, on the occasion of Shivaratri on Friday.
The authorities had arranged ladders to facilitate devotees in climbing to the cave to offer prayers.
Additionally, devotees also visited the Bugga Rajeshwara Swamy temple in Bellampalli and Gattu Mallana Swamy temple at Velala in Jaipur Mandal.
