Arrangements in place for annual ‘Chandanotsavam' at Simhachalam
The stage is set for the biggest annual festival — Chandanotsavam — at Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple at Simhachalam, here, on April 30. It is only this day of the year that devotees can have 'Nijaroopa darshanam' as the thick sandalwood covering on the idol will be removed.
The festivities would begin with 'Suprabhatam' at 1 a.m. (early hours of Wednesday), followed by Viswaksena puja, Punyavachanam, Ritwikgvaranam, Panchakalavahanam and Chananottaram. Hereditary trustee of the temple P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju and his family members would be the first to have darshan, as per tradition in practice at the temple, at 3 a.m.
It would be followed by a representative of the Endowments department offering 'pattu vastrams' to the deity, on behalf of the State government. This would be followed by presentation of 'pattu vastrams' (silk robes) by the TTD following by darshan by VVIPs and VIPs.
Devotees will be allowed to get a darshan of the deity from 4 a.m. Protocol VIPs will be allowed to have darshan from 5 a.m. to 6 a.m. and 8.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. There will be no 'ashirvachanams' and 'antaralaya' darshanam on April 30.
The queue lines would be closed at 7 p.m. and devotees who have already entered the queue would be allowed darshan of the deity till the end of the last person standing in the queue.
Devotees going for 'free darshan' and ₹300, ₹1,000 and ₹1,500 ticket holders would be allowed to have darshan from the 'Neeladri mandapam'. The 'Nijarupa darshanam' would conclude with 'abhishekam' and other Vedic rituals at 11 p.m.
RTC will provide free bus services from 4.30 a.m. to 6 p.m. for devotees going up and coming down the hill. The RTC buses will not ferry passengers from the foothill to the hilltop after 6 p.m. They will however continue to ferry passengers from the hilltop to the foothill even after 6 p.m.
Meanwhile, District Collector MN Harendhira Prasad and Joint Collector K. Mayur Ashok inspected the arrangements for the Chandanotsavam festival on Tuesday (April 29).
The Collector directed the officials concerned to arrange water, biscuits and buttermilk for devotees in the queue lines and milk for children. Mobile toilets should be provided on the hill and at the foothill for the convenience of devotees. He directed Medical and Health authorities to conduct medical camps and keep ambulances ready in case of any emergency.
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