TIRUPATI: Spiritual fervour gripped Tirupati district on Wednesday as thousands of devotees flocked to Lord Siva temples to mark Karthika Pournami, one of the most auspicious days of Karthika Masam. From dawn, the shrines echoed with chants of ‘Om Namah Sivaya,’ and the glow of countless lamps illuminated temple premises across the region.

The famous Srikalahasti temple witnessed one of the largest gatherings, with more than 30,000 devotees offering prayers throughout the day. The sight of women devotees lighting earthen lamps with 365 wicks, a symbolic act observed during the holy month, turned the temple surroundings into a sea of flickering lights.

Temple chairman Kotte Sai Prasad and Executive Officer T Bapi Reddy oversaw elaborate arrangements to ensure a smooth darshan for the devotees. Around 2,600 Seeghra darshan tickets and 2,500 special entrance tickets were issued, while over 2,000 devotees performed the Rahu Kethu Puja within the temple complex. Many also took the ritual dip in the Swarnamukhi river before entering the shrine.

Elsewhere, the Kapileswara Swamy temple in Tirupati also witnessed heavy footfall. Pilgrims took a holy bath at the waterfalls and offered prayers to the presiding deity before lighting lamps in the temple courtyard.

Other prominent temples such as Sri Mogileswara Swamy temple in Mogili of Chittoor district, Sri Parasurameswara temple in Gudimallam, Siddeswara Swamy temple in Talakona, Kailasanatha Kona, and Pallikondeswara Swamy temple in Surutupalli too saw an overwhelming response from devotees.

At the TTD’s model Venkateswara Swamy temple near Alipiri, devotees arranged rows of clay diyas in the form of a Siva Linga and offered prayers, adding to the sanctity of the occasion. Across the district, the spirit of Karthika Pournami was marked by devotion, light, and collective reverence, as thousands sought divine blessings in an atmosphere charged with faith and festivity.