Kurnool: Siva temples reverberate with chants of 'Om Namah Sivaya'

Kurnool/Nandyal: The Shivaite temples across Kurnool and Nandyal districts were reverberating with chants of 'Om Namah Sivaya' from the wee hours to mark the Second Karthika Somavaram, the most auspicious day for devotees.

Large number of devotees throng the temples to celebrate the second Monday of the month-long Karthika Masam. Since early in the morning, the devotees are lighting the Karthika deepams after taking holy dip in the Krishna river waters of Pushkarini and Pathalaganga in Srisailam temple.

The temple authorities have facilitated space for lighting the Karthika Deepams at Mada Veedhi and Gangadhara mandapam. Almost all the streets in Srisailam temple town were filled with the massive number of devotees who come from various states in the country. After lighting the Karthika Deepams, the devotees had the darshan of the presiding deities Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy and Goddess Brahmarambika Devi after standing for hours in the long queue lines. Similarly, the Uma Maheswara Swamy temple in Yaganti, Mahanandeeshwara Swamy temple in Mahanandi, Omkaram, Bugga Rameshwaram and others in both the districts also registered huge number of devotees. The devotees in Kurnool town also lit and float Karthika Deepams in Kurnool-Cuddapah Canal.

The authorities of Srisailam temple, in the evening, have organised Pushkarini and Punya Nadhi Harati and Jwala Thoranam. The authorities also served hot milk, biscuits and mini tiffin besides and laddu prasadam to the devotees standing in the queue lines.

Free food was served at Nitya Annadanasatram from 10.30 to 3.00 pm. On the auspicious occasion, the YSRCP Rajya Sabha Member Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy along with his family members visited the Srisailam temple on Monday. He was received by the temple Executive Officer S Lavanna and Veda pundits. After completion of darshan, the MP was presented with Ashirvachanam, Prasadam and a laminated photo of Lord and Goddess.