There was a huge turnout of devotees at Sri Trikoteswara Swamy temple at Kotappakonda and at Sri Amareswara Swamy temple at Amaravathi on the occasion of Maha Sivaratri on Friday.
At Kotappakonda, MLA Gopireddy Srinivasa Reddy offered ‘silk vastrams’ to the presiding deity. District in-charge Minister and Minister for Housing Ch. Ranganatha Raju and Collector I. Samuel Ananda Kumar were present.
Tough time to police
Police personnel had a tough time managing the unprecedented rush of pilgrims in the evening. Devotees complained of poor arrangements as there was pushing and jostling in the queue lines.
There was a riot of colour as huge, illuminated ‘prabhas’ dotted the skyline. Devotees carried as many as 10 ‘prabhas’ that were over 40 feet height.
More than one lakh people turned up at Kotappakonda.
A ‘mela’ was organised at the foothills of Kotappakonda, where the district administration organised special musical and dance programmes. However, recording dances were not allowed.
Among the prominent persons who turned up at Kotappakonda were MP Lavu Krishnadevarayulu, Deputy Speaker Kona Raghupati, and MLA Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy.
The temple town of Amaravathi, the abode of Lord Amarewara Swamy, witnessed heavy rush as more than 75,000 people visited the temple. Men and women took a holy bath in the Krishna before visiting the temple.
