Rajamahendravaram: Satyadeva Giri Pradakshina at the famous Sri Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy Temple in Annavaram was held on Wednesday with great religious devotion and grandeur. Thousands of devotees from different parts of the State and neighbouring regions thronged the sacred Ratnagiri hill to participate in the Satyaratham procession, which commenced from the stairway route and circumambulated the hill, covering a distance of about 8.2 kilometres.

From the early hours of the day, devotees observed Satyavrata rituals, offering prayers and vows to Lord Satyanarayana. The rituals continued till afternoon amid chanting of hymns and the echo of devotional music filling the surroundings. In the evening, priests performed a grand Harathi at the Pampa Lake, which was witnessed by a large number of devotees, adding to the spiritual ambience. The Jwala Toranam and Gramotsavam celebrations in the night near the foot of the hill attracted huge crowds, with devotees expressing their faith and joy through traditional songs, kolatam and bhajans. The temple authorities and volunteers made elaborate arrangements to provide pilgrims with drinking water, medical aid, and other necessary facilities.

With the heavy influx of devotees, traffic restrictions were imposed in and around the temple town. Heavy vehicles and buses were diverted through the bypass road to ease congestion. To ensure the smooth conduct of the religious event, a large contingent of police personnel was deployed, and strict vigil was maintained to prevent any untoward incidents.

The day-long event concluded peacefully, reflecting the deep spiritual devotion and vibrant cultural spirit associated with Lord Satyanarayana’s abode at Annavaram.