Ontimitta Temple Brahmotsavams To Begin On Friday

KADAPA: The annual Brahmotsavams at the renowned Sri Kodanda Ramaswamy Temple at Ontimitta will commence on Friday with religious fervour and traditional grandeur. Authorities have completed all arrangements for the five-day festivities.

The temple, known as an “Ekashila Nagaram” (single-stone structure) and noted for being a rare Rama temple without Lord Hanuman, has been decorated for the occasion. Officials of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), along with district authorities, have been working round the clock over the past week to ensure smooth conduct of the celebrations.

Devotees from across the state are expected to throng the temple during the event. After the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, the official Sri Rama Navami celebrations are being held at Ontimitta instead of Bhadrachalam, adding to the festival’s significance.

Kadapa superintendent of police Vishwanath Nachiket said around 3,000 police personnel have been deployed. Special teams have been formed to regulate traffic, manage crowd movement and ensure the safety of devotees.

The celestial wedding of Lord Rama and Sita will be held on April 1. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has been invited and is expected to attend along with ministers, senior officials and public representatives.

In view of the summer heat, large sheds have been arranged to accommodate thousands of devotees expected to witness the Kalyanam.

TTD has announced special darshan timings. Sarva darshan will be available from 4 am to 10 pm, while Abhishekam will be performed between 5.30 am and 6.30 am. A break will be observed from 1 pm to 2 pm.

District collector Cherukuri Sridhar said adequate arrangements, including drinking water, sanitation and Annaprasadam, have been made to ensure devotees do not face any inconvenience and have a peaceful darshan.