Srisailam (Nandyal district): The temple town of Srisailam witnessed a heavy influx of devotees on Monday, marking the second Monday of the holy Karthika Masam. From the early hours of dawn, thousands of devotees took holy dips in the Patalaganga before proceeding for the darshan of Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy and Goddess Bhramaramba Devi.

According to the Srisaila Devasthanam authorities, special arrangements have been made to ensure hassle-free darshan for devotees, as large crowds are expected on government holidays, Karthika Mondays, and Karthika Pournami. The temple doors were opened at 3 am for early morning rituals, followed by darshan from 4:30 a.m. to 4 pm, and again from 5:30 pm to 10:30 pm.

To manage the rush, Sparsha Darshanam (touch darshan) and group Archita Abhishekams have been temporarily suspended on peak days such as Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays, Suddha Ekadasi and Karthika Pournami.

All temple departments have been placed on special duty to assist devotees and maintain smooth operations throughout the festive season. Staff and supervisors have been instructed to ensure that no inconvenience is caused to pilgrims. The temple administration has also provided breakfast, drinking water, and hot milk to devotees waiting in the queue complexes.

Special arrangements have been made at the northern Mada Street and Gangadhara Mandapam for devotees to perform Karthika Deepa Aradhana. The Annadanam service has been conducted from 10:30 am at the Annadanam Hall, and evening refreshments have been served from 6:30 p.m. onwards. To meet the increased demand, the Devasthanam has prepared a large quantity of Laddu Prasadam, which has been distributed through ten counters.

Temple officials have appealed to devotees to cooperate with the authorities and follow the guidelines to ensure a peaceful and spiritually fulfilling experience during the Karthika Masotsavam celebrations.