Amid COVID, more than two lakh gather at Kadiri temple chariot festival

ANANTAPUR: Amid a resurgent Covid-19 pandemic, more than two lakh devotees gathered at the chariot festival of Lord Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple at Kadiri in Anantapur district on Friday. Many jostled wing with one another in pulling the long ropes of the temple chariot.

Devotees from various states of the country, including Muslims, rushed for darshan of the Lion-headed God at what is billed as the 3rd biggest chariot festival in the country.

With Lord Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy’s chariot being taken out in a procession along the Mada streets of Kadiri town as part of the temple Brahmotsavam, thousands packed the streets and also occupied the multi-storeyed buildings to have a glimpse of the God.

Significantly, majority of the Muslims in Kadiri town turned up on the streets to have darshan of Lord Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy in the procession that lasted throughout the day. Saheb Peer, a devotee from Kadiri. “It is a tradition we have been following since centuries. Our family prays to Lord Narasimha during every annual celebration at the historic Kadiri temple by offering pepper and davanam, a herbaceous plant,” Saheb Peer pointed out.

Devotees had turned up at Kadiri from all over AP, apart from Karnataka, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and other parts of the country.

Hindupur MP Gorantla Madhav and Kadiri MLA Sidda Reddy offered poojas at the rathotsavam. Police arranged additional forces as part of securing the procession in which both Hindus and Muslims participate.