SIMHACHALAM: Things are all set for the smooth conduct of Chandana Yatra of Sri Varahalakshmi Narasimha Swamy scheduled on April 24. For the first time in the temple’s history, the Chandanotsavam committee was formed with politicos and VVIPs and VIPs are denied free darshan of the presiding deity. Also, the district administration is directly supervising the arrangements with Zilla Parishad chief executive officer P Venkata Reddy appointed as the chief festival officer to monitor the arrangements.As per practice, on Akshaya Tritiya every year, a group of blind-folded priests led by the devasthanam’s main priest, Morta Seetharamacharyulu will remove the sandalwood paste off the idol to allow the devotees have the nijaroopa darshan of the Lord. The ceremonial commences after the zero hours on April 23 followed by preliminary rituals. Then, hereditary trustee P Ananda Gajapathi Raju and family will have the first darshan and devotees are allowed next from 5 am till 9 pm.While the temple authorities are expecting a turnout of about 1.3 lakh devotees, as many as 1,500 police personnel are to be deployed on the day to avert any untoward situation. For the occasion, the APSRTC is operating special bus services from across the state to the temple. About 40 buses are plying from various places in Visakhapatnam city like Madhurawada, Lankelapalem, Anakapalle and Scindia Junction to uphill from the early hours of Tuesday. Devasthanam too is plying special buses from downhill to uphill until the rush is cleared.Four-wheelers and two-wheelers are not allowed to the uphill except for the vehicles of VIPs. A police out-post, medical camps, fire station, reception centres are also being setting up for the convenience of the devotees.
Comments
0 comment