A significant number of devotees gathered at Shiva temples in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to mark the beginning of Maha Shivaratri celebrations. Before sunrise, devotees visited the temples where devotional hymns and mantras filled the air during special rituals. They actively participated in rituals like ‘Rudrabhishekha’ and special pujas, while also taking holy dips in rivers and ponds.
Long queues were observed at major temples as devotees sought blessings and offered prayers. Notably, devotees visited the Vemulawada Rajarajeshwara Swamy temple in Telangana’s Rajanna Sircilla district, where state officials presented silk clothes to the deity. The Komuravelli Mallanna temple in Siddipet district witnessed devotees lining up from early morning, accompanied by a celebratory procession.
The spirit of devotion extended to various Shivaite shrines in regions like Khammam, Nizamabad, Nalgonda, Sangareddy, Adilabad, and Warangal. In Andhra Pradesh, the Srisailam temple in Kurnool district hosted a massive celebration with thousands of devotees thronging the hill shrine since the early hours of Sunday. Devotees patiently waited in queues for darshan at the Mallikarjuna Swamy temple.
Elaborate arrangements were made at the temples, with senior officials overseeing operations through CCTV cameras. The Mahashivaratri festivities were vibrant at the Srikalahasti temple, known for being one of the renowned Shiva temples in the country. Other temples like Bhimeswara Swamy temple at Samalkot, Draksharamam, and Kotappakonda also witnessed enthusiastic celebrations.
Special pujas were conducted at various Shiva temples across Andhra Pradesh, including the Amaralingeshwara Swamy temple in Amaravati and the Durga Nageshwaraswamy temple in Krishna district. Leaders such as Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma, Andhra Pradesh Governor S. Abdul Nazeer, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu extended their greetings to the public on the occasion of Mahashivratri.
Telangana’s Chief Minister prayed for prosperity and well-being for the state’s residents, while Chandrababu Naidu sought blessings for Andhra Pradesh’s prosperity. The leaders emphasized the festival’s significance in promoting spiritual awakening and fostering positive values like love, amity, and unity among devotees worldwide.
