Chittoor spruced up for Mahasivaratri festivities

Shiva temples across Chittoor district witnessed a surge of devotees on the occasion of Mahasivaratri, with continuous chants of “Om Namah Shivaya” and special rituals being performed.

The annual festivities commenced on Friday (February 13, 2026) at the renowned Mogileeswara Swami Temple, an 8th century shrine located near Chittoor. The temple is famed for a perennial spring within its premises, believed to have been flowing for centuries, drawing pilgrims from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and other parts of the country.

Temple authorities said that the official Nandi Seva will be conducted on Mahasivaratri on Sunday (February 15), followed by Lingodhbhava Darshan in the early hours of Monday (February 16), coinciding with the auspicious night of Mahasivaratri. The Kalyanotsavam is scheduled for Tuesday (February 17), while the festivities will culminate with the float festival on February 23.

In Kuppam, the temple of Lord Malleswara Swamy atop the Mallappa Konda hillock was also spruced up for the festivities. The temple organisers said that the darshan timings would commence from the early hours on Sunday, and continue till the late evening on Monday.

The 11th century Raju Gudi temple and Agastheeswara Swami temple on the banks of Neeva river would celebrate the festivities on a grand scale, in Chittoor.

Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) has announced the operation of over 24 special buses from various parts of Chittoor district to major Shaivite centres, including Srisailam Temple, Kotappakonda, and Draksharamam Temple.

In addition, special services will be operated within the combined Chittoor district from the evening of Saturday (February 14) to facilitate devotees visiting local Shiva temples. Authorities expect heavy footfall over the weekend and have made elaborate arrangements to ensure smooth darshan and crowd management.