Sankranti Rush Grips Nellore and Ongole

Nellore: With just a day left for Sankranti, Nellore and Ongole have been swept by a surge of festive activity, as crowds thronged temples, markets, bus stations and railway platforms in preparation for one of the region’s biggest celebrations.

Temples in both cities have been decked out with lights and flowers, with special queue systems and crowd-control arrangements put in place to handle the expected influx of devotees over the festive days.

Shopping areas saw a last-minute rush, with textile showrooms, jewellery shops and malls packed with buyers. From silk sarees and dhotis to children’s festive wear, sales peaked on Tuesday, slowing traffic in several busy localities as streets remained crowded late into the night.

Bus stands and railway stations were equally busy, with thousands of people travelling to their native villages to celebrate Sankranti with their families. Long queues and fully booked services marked the annual festive exodus.

Religious preparations are also underway for the Makara Jyothi at Sabarimala on January 15. In Nellore, local Ayyappa temple committees are arranging to light large quantities of camphor on temple rooftops at the precise moment the sacred light is expected to appear over Sabarimala, enabling devotees unable to travel to Kerala to take part in the ritual.