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Hyderabad, On the occasion of Maha Sivarathri festival on Tuesday, all the Shaivaite shrines in both the Telugu States of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are reverberating with the chanting of “Aum Namah Shivayah” in praise of the Three-Eyed Lord. Devotees lined up in serpentine queues at the Shiva temples since early hours for darshan of “Vishwanatha” and performed Abhisekhams, kalyanams and special pujas.
On the sacred occasion, all temples of Lord Shiva in both the Telugu States were tastefully decorated with colorful flowers and illumination. The popular Shiva temples at Srisailam, Draksharamam, Srikalahasti, Kotappakonda, Palakollu, Amaravathi, Samarlakota, Bheemavaram and other temples in Andhra Pradesh and at Shiva temples at Vemulawada, Keesara, Bala Brahmeshwara temple in Alampur, Komuravelli, Inavolu, Thousand-pillar temple, Ramappa temple and so on in Telangana State were thronged by thousands of devotees. Special pujas were performed at Sri Rajaarajeshwara Swamy temple in 
Vemulawada of Rajanna-Sircilla district, Ramalingeshwara Swamy temple at Keesara, Kaleswaram, Cherurughattu temple in Nalgonda district and temples in Panagal. On the occasion, Brahmotsavams of Sri Veerabhadra Swamy were being performed in Kuravi, Komuravelli, Edupayala Jathara, Bowrapur in Nagarkurnool district.
In Bhadrachalam, devotees in thousands thronged the Atma Lingeshwara Swamy temple in Palwancha to witness the Sun’s rays touching the Shiva Linga and the temple premises reverberated with the chant of “Shambo Shankara” by the ecstatic devotees. Similarly, Shiva temples in Khammam, Suryapet, Nirmal, Mancherial, Nalgonda, Jayashankar Bhupalapalli districts, Jangaon, Adilabad, Nizamabad, Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy, devotees performed special pujas amidst chanting of “Aum Namah Shivaya”.
In Andhra Pradesh, thousands of devotees thronged for a darshan of Srikalahasti Vayu Lingeshwara Swamy temple in Chittoor district. In view of huge rush of devotees, the temple authorities cancelled the much sought-after “Rahu-Kethu” puja. Similarly, devotees in thousands thronged the Sri Bhadrakali-sametha-Veereshwara Swamy temple in Polavaram mandal of West Godavari district, Pancharama temple Sri Someshwara Janardhana Swamy temple and Ksheera Ramalingeshwara Swamy temple in Palakollu, Gospada temple in Kovvur, Natta Rameshwaram temple in Penumantra mandal and in all the districts of Krishna, Kurnool, East Godavari, Guntur, Nellore, Prakasam and so on.
Srisailam shrine, one of the 12 Jyothirlingas, has turned into a sea of devotees. After taking sacred bath in the Pathalaganga, devotees waited in serpentine queues and had darshan of Sri Mallikharjuna Swamy. The processional deities of the Lord Shiva and His Consort were decorated with gold ornaments. The APSRTC plied special bus services to Srikalahasti from Tirupathi, Nellore and Chennai.
In Telangana State, devotees thronged the Thousand-Pillar temple at Hanamkonda in Warangal district, Sri Rajarajeswara Swamy temple in Vemulawada of Karimnagar district, Sri Ramalingeswara Swamy temple at Keesara in Ranga Reddy district, Sri Jogulamba temple in Alampur in Mahbubnagar district. Simultaneously, the annual traditional fair commenced in Edupaayala in Medak district.
Endowments Minister A Indrakaran Reddy, accompanied by his family members performed special puja at Rajarajeshwara Swamy temple at Vemulawada and presented silk vastrams to the divine couple. The TSRTC plied special buses from all parts of the State. A delegation of priests from the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam visited Sri Rajarajeswara Swamy temple and presented “Pattu Vastrams” to Lord Shiva on the occasion. Hundreds of devotees thronged the temple of Sri Ramalingeswara Swamy at Keesara and performed Abhisekhams amidst chanting of “Aum Namah Shivaya”. Devotees were seen patiently waiting for darshan of the Lord.
Similarly, Sri Kanaka Durga Malleswara Swamy temple atop Indrakeeladri in Vijayawada also attracted a large number of devotees. Ardent devotees made a beeline to the temple of Sri Kethaki Sangameshwara Swamy at Jharasangham in Medak district. Serpentine queues were seen at Keesaragutta, Ujjain and Omkareshwar temples since early morning.
Devotees in large numbers poured into the Moolasthaneshwara temple in the Potti Sriramulu Nellore district. The celebrations commenced on a large scale in the Uma Someshwara temple in Bhimavaram of West Godavari district. Devotees in large numbers started pouring into the temple from early hours and patiently waited in serpentine queues. “Palabhishekam” to the presiding deity was performed amidst chanting of Veda mantras this morning.
It took more time for devotees to have darshan of the Lord at the historic Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy temple at Srisailam. Devotees turned out in thousands at the other famous temples, including Srikalahasti, Draksharamam, Pattiseema, Bhimavaram, Kotappakonda, Amaravati and Vemulawada. Rudrabhishekams and special pujas were performed for Shivalingas. The biggest congregation was at the Srisailam temple in Kurnool district. Devotees from various parts of the country prayed at the famous temple, which is one of 12 Jyotirlinga temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. Former Union minister Daggubati Purandeshwari, Endowments Principal Secretary B. Venkateshwarlu were among the devotees who worshipped the Lord.
Similarly, there was heavy pilgrims rush at Sri Kaleshwara Muktheeshwara Swamy Devasthanam in Kaleshwaram of Mahadevpur mandal along the banks of river Godavari adjoining Chhattisgarh State in the district. People were seen taking holy dip in the river before offering prayers.
