The historic Sirimanotsavam of Sri Pyditalli Ammavari temple here is going to be a low-key affair this time with restrictions on movement of devotees on the festival day on October 27, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic that has already created a havoc in Vizianagaram and many parts of the district.
Normally around three lakh people participate in the utsavam when the Sirimanu would move three times from Sri Pyditalli Ammavari temple and the fort of Pusapati Gajapathi families. Taking a cue from the recent Puri Jagannath utsavam and Sri Venkateswara temple Brahmotsavam at Tirumala, the Andhra Pradesh government has come out with many guidelines for conducting the festival without breaking local traditions and customs.
After taking the opinion of political leaders and representatives of various non-governmental organisations in the Collector’s office here on Friday, Minister for Municipal Administration Botcha Satyanarayana urged people not to attend the Sirimanotsavam directly since it might to lead to spread of coronavirus in the absence of social distance.
Shops to be closed
“We will set up nearly 100 LED screens in the entire city to enable devotees to watch Sirimanotsavam from their respective streets. Also, women devotees who carry Ammavari ghatams should not come to the temple with their family members and relatives. All the shops and establishments will have to be closed on the day. We will also restrict movement of buses and other vehicles to prevent people coming from other places,” he said.
MLA Kolagatla Veerabhadra Swamy urged people to have darshan of Goddess Pyditalli now onwards instead of waiting till the day of Sirimanotsavam.
MP Bellana Chandrasekhar and YSRCP district political coordinator Majji Srinivasa Rao urged citizens not to invite their relatives and friends for the festival this year.
Collector M. Hari Jawaharlal said that all cultural events and traditional dances were cancelled this year.
