Tirupati: Srikalahasti temple reverberated with Om Namah Sivaaya chants on Tuesday on the occasion of Maha Sivaratri. Devotees in large numbers thronged the famous Shivaite temple known as Dakshina Kasi and Vayulinga Kshetram from early hours. Temple authorities have started darshan in the early hours itself. Religious fervour marked the temple and the whole town.
The temple authorities have cancelled all Arjitha sevas including Rahu Kethu pujas for the day. Maha Laghu darshan was provided to make the devotees have darshan in the shortest possible time. The devotees were sent for darshan in four lines for various ticket-holders while VIPs were allowed in two time slots in the morning and evening. The temple was jam-packed throughout the day and devotees in large numbers have also come from neighbouring Tamil Nadu.
Temple Executive Officer D Peddi Raju and MLA B Madhusudan Reddy monitored the arrangements constantly in the queue lines. Tirupati Urban SP Ch Venkata Appala Naidu also visited the temple in the morning and reviewed the security aspects with his staff. He personally monitored the security at the queue lines.
He came across a child who was missing from his parents and crying in the queue line. The SP handed over the child to his parents and seeing the plight of aged people in the long queue lines, he made them come out of the line and have darshan quickly. CC cameras were arranged in the temple and in the town for effective monitoring of the situation and drone cameras were also pressed into service.
Temple officials have made available two lakh laddus, one lakh pulihora packets and other prasadams for devotees. Battery vehicles were provided at the temple for those needed while RTC provided bus services from various parts of the district to reach Srikalahasti.
