Kotappa Konda spruced up for Maha Sivaratri
KOTAPPAKONDA (GUNTUR):The ancient hill shrine of Lord Trikuteswara in Kotappakonda is getting spruced up for 'Maha Sivaratri' on February 17.
'Kotappakonda Tirunal', as the festival is famous in the region, is expected to be attended by around 12 lakh devotees, two lakh more than that of the previous year. Elaborate arrangements are being made for the festival, which has been declared 'state festival' four years ago.
'We are expecting that around 3 lakh devotees attending the Tirunal would have darshan of the presiding deity and hence making necessary arrangements in this direction.
Assembly speaker Kodela Sivaprasad Rao will offer 'Pattu Vastrams' to Lord Trikuteswara on behalf of the state government on the occasion,' said D Srinivas Rao, assistant commissioner (endowments) and temple executive officer.
Large canopies made of cloth are being arranged for the convenience of the visiting devotees, temporary queue lines are being arranged in addition to the permanent ones for providing hassle-free darshan. There will be separate queue lines for 'Sarva Darshan', 'Sheegra Darshan' (quick darshan) and 'Pratyeka Darshan' (special darshan).
Arrangements have also been made for abhishekams in separate mandapams, which will continue throughout the day on 'Maha Sivaratri' at a cost of `150 per head. Apart from providing drinking water points at 50 locations on the hill, volunteers will be distributing water sachets and prasadams to devotees free of cost.
Giving utmost importance to sanitation, the existing 20 toilets have been doubled and around 150 sanitation workers have been roped in for four days, starting Feb 15.
'Given the steady increase of number of devotees visiting the temple for 'Sivaratri' and other days, we have improved the moving area as part of development works taken up at a cost of `2.86 crore. Almost 90 per cent of the works have been completed and the rest will be finished by Monday,' the EO added.
News Posted: 15 February, 2015
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