Srisailam gears up for Ugadi

Ugadi Mahotsavams at Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy temple at Srisailam will be held from March 16 to 20.

As the five-day festivities attract a large number of devotees, particularly from Sholapur and Sangli in Maharashtra and other places in Karnataka, among others, Srisailam temple Executive Officer M. Srinivasa Rao has asked the officials of all the departments to make arrangements giving priority to the safety of the devotees. Mr. Srinivasa Rao said though the festivities will start on March 16, devotees will start arriving to the temple town from the first week of March itself and asked the officials to make arrangements accordingly.

As large number of people trek through Nallamala forests to reach the shrine, the EO wanted officials to make arrangements, particularly provision of drinking water in the forest route. Devotees trek through the Venkatapuram, Naguluti, Damerlakunta, Pedda Cheruvu, Matambaavi, Bhimuni Kolanu and Kailasa Dwaram to reach the shrine. Drinking water should also be supplied at Sakshi Ganapathi temple, Hatakeswaram, Shikareswaram and other places through water tankers, he said.

Mr. Srinivasa Rao wanted officials to extend cooperation to the voluntary organisations and philanthropists who distribute food to the devotees in the forest route by arranging pandals, lighting and drinking water. The EO asked officials looking after annaprasadam and queue lines to make arrangements for drinking water and snacks for the devotees waiting in queue lines. Further, German sheds and pandals should also be made available for the devotees to take rest in the vacant spaces near Basava Vanam, Bala Ganesh Vanam, and other places, he said.

With regard to medical facilities, the EO asked officials to keep adequate stock of medicines in the hospital run by the temple and also ointments for the devotees trekking the forest route as their feet get badly bruised due to barefoot walk.

The EO also asked officials to focus on sanitation, lighting, and setting up of temporary kiosks to provide information to the devotees, and to utilize the services of volunteers who can speak Kannada language to guide devotees.