Heavy Rush at Srisailam on Rathasaptami
Vehicles stranded on ghat road as devotees pour in from early hours
Update: 2026-01-25 15:53 GMT
KURNOOL: Srisailam witnessed a massive influx of devotees on the occasion of Rathasaptami on Sunday, leading to heavy congestion at the temple and along the ghat roads. From as early as 5 am, queue lines at the Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy temple were packed, with pilgrims waiting for several hours for darshan.
Devotees reported severe traffic congestion on the ghat road, with long queues of vehicles stretching for kilometres. Vehicular movement to the hill shrine was disrupted for several hours, leaving many pilgrims stranded before reaching the temple.
Nagarendra Prasad of Veldurthi mandal in Kurnool district said devotees were forced to stand in queues for extended periods to get a glimpse of the presiding deity. Raghunatha Reddy, a motorist from Pendlimarri in Kadapa district, said it took several hours to reach the hilltop due to traffic snarls.
Some devotees alleged lapses in traffic regulation, while others complained about inadequate basic facilities in the queue lines. However, Srisailam Devasthanam officials said adequate arrangements had been made to manage the rush and facilitate darshan during the festival.
Meanwhile, Rathasaptami rituals were held with religious fervour at the temple. Observed on Magha Shuddha Saptami, the festival featured special Surya worship rituals conducted at the Akkamahadevi Alankara Mandapam.
According to temple officials, the rituals began with Surya Yantra puja, followed by Veda Parayanam and Aruna Parayanam, and were performed in accordance with traditional customs.