Devotee Safety and Seamless Darshan Non-Negotiable: Anam
Calling Maha Shivaratri a high-responsibility event, the minister urged all departments to discharge their duties diligently to ensure the festival is conducted smoothly without hardship to devotees.
Vijayawada: Endowments minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy on Tuesday said there would be no compromise on devotee safety, convenience or dignity during the forthcoming Maha Shivaratri festivities across Andhra Pradesh.
Reviewing preparations through a video conference, the minister directed officials to accord top priority to common devotees and ensure smooth and timely darshan, particularly for those travelling from distant places after observing penance and wearing sacred malas. He warned that any behaviour disrespectful to pilgrims would not be tolerated.
With a surge in pilgrim inflow expected during Maha Shivaratri and the ongoing Brahmotsavams, the minister reviewed arrangements at major Shaiva shrines, including the Srisailam Mallikarjuna Swamy Devasthanam, Srikalahasti and Kotappakonda, besides other prominent temples across the state.
Ramnarayan Reddy instructed the endowments department, district administrations and the police to work in close coordination, with continuous supervision over crowd management, security and facilities. He stressed the need for robust action plans to regulate crowds, prevent bottlenecks and ensure uninterrupted distribution of prasadam.
He directed officials to provide adequate accommodation, drinking water, milk, biscuits and other essential amenities, while maintaining round-the-clock sanitation to keep temple premises clean. The minister reiterated that the Standard Operating Procedures issued by the endowments commissioner must be strictly followed.
Cautioning officials against administrative overreach, Anam Ramanarayana Reddy said temple rituals, festivals and Agama-based religious practices should not be interfered with and that traditional and Vedic customs must be respected.
Emphasising equality, he directed that VIPs and ordinary devotees be treated alike, with darshan organised strictly as per allotted time slots.
Calling Maha Shivaratri a high-responsibility event, the minister urged all departments to discharge their duties diligently to ensure the festival is conducted smoothly without hardship to devotees.
The video conference was attended by endowments principal secretary Hari Jawahar Lal, endowments commissioner K. Ramachandra Mohan, regional joint commissioners, deputy commissioners, district officials and executive officers of major Shaiva temples across the state.
